Legacy
by ahhleesaaa
Summary: Bella Swan was uprooted from her comfortable life in New York City and forced to move to small town, Forks, Washington without explanation from her parents. What happens when she meets a stranger who she has been dreaming about, a person she thought was a figment of her imagination? What is this legacy her parents keep mentioning she'll learn about soon? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Thank you for being interested in my story! I wrote it with all original characters almost four years ago now and decided to post it here so someone other than my mother can read it, lol. I hope you like it! ****This is my first full length story so I would really appreciate some feedback on how I'm doing. I have no beta so all mistakes are mine.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

**Legacy**

**Chapter 1**

"Tell me more about this dream you've been having." Dr. Reynolds put down her notebook, gesturing towards the brown leather sofa in the middle of her office. Her auburn hair was pulled out of her face in a loose bun at the back of her neck. Her face was warm and welcoming, hidden behind a pair of glasses that she kept shifting up her nose when she'd write in her notebook. Her green eyes were also warm and weren't as penetrating as you would expect on a person who was trying to shift through your life.

The office smelled like a mixture between lavender and dust. The portraits on the walls were all of flowers: daisies, lilies, orchids, and the usual suspects found at an office. The photographs of family members with their big smiles glared from picture frames placed on her desk.

"I have it every night. It's always the same thing. I see five people, all surrounding me. All I can think of is that I feel safe and wanted, needed." I sat down on the couch, feeling the cold leather against my thin shirt. I always hated coming to therapy. Why did I need it? I wasn't crazy or anything. But every time I was here, I felt like it. Like my world and my life was just a show, there for the scrutiny of others.

"What can you tell me about these people?" Dr. Reynolds asked. She never forced me to tell her anything, always waiting on me to offer information, which I appreciated.

"They're always the same. A group of five people. But I can't see all their faces. Just one. He's the one that makes me feel safe, loved, and wanted. I don't know who he is. I've never seen him before." I don't know why I tell her these things when my dreams don't seem to make sense at all. I didn't believe in the idea that your dreams tell you things and I doubt Dr. Reynolds did either.

"You've got to give me more details, sweetheart. I'm here to listen to you, to help you out in any way I can."

"That's all I know. I can't tell you anything else because that's it." I was starting to get frustrated, my voice rising. No matter how many times I've told Dr. Reynolds my dreams, she still insists I'm missing something.

"Okay, I understand. Well, we've made some improvement; you've finally opened up to me, giving me more information than before." She put her pencil and notebook down on the table in front of her and waiting for me to say something.

"It doesn't matter, we're moving soon," I finally said to her, after sitting quietly, ashamed of my sudden outburst.

"I know, dear, but you still have another session left. And you have both my office number and my personal number where you can reach me anytime, whenever you need someone to talk to."

I stood, walking over to Dr. Reynolds, stuck out my hand and said goodbye. As I walked out the door, I turned and faced her.

"Thank you, Dr. Reynolds, I'll see you Friday before I leave."

"You are very welcome, Isabella. I'll see you then."

I walked out, straight out of the main office. As I approached the elevator, I caught sight of myself in the reflective doors. My honey colored eyes stood out against the brown of my hair. My pale skin glowed with the light that filtered through the bright windows behind me.

I kept moving, into the elevator, pushing the "Lobby" button. As the elevator descended, I kept thinking about this annoying dream I've been having. I lied to Dr. Reynolds. There was more to the dream than what I told her. I didn't tell her I saw _him_ all the time. I'd see him everywhere.

The elevator reached the lobby and I stepped out, blinded by the glaring New York sun. Walking towards the lobby doors, I sensed someone looking at me. I turned around and I saw him—the guy from my dreams. He had strange bronze hair, like a penny. But his eyes—his eyes were just like mine. He was gorgeous.

I know I saw him, but when I blinked, he was gone. This wasn't the first time. I continued walking, stepping out into the crisp fall air of New York City. I was going to miss this. It wasn't fair. Nobody asked me if I wanted to move to the middle of nowhere, Forks, Washington.

The doorman hailed a cab for me, smiling in the creepy way old men usually do. I flashed him my million-dollar smile as I stepped into the yellow cab, giving the driver my address. We drove past the tall buildings while I was taking it all in for what could be my last time. We stopped in front of my beloved Upper East Side building. I gave the driver what I owed him and climbed out of the cab.

"Miss Swan, it's great to see you again. Your parents have asked me to tell you that they've left for Washington this morning and expect you there by Friday afternoon. Is there anything I can get for you?" the doorman asked.

"No thanks, Walter. Have a good evening."

"Thank you, Miss Swan." He bowed slightly, tilting his top hat. I was going to miss Walter.

I entered the building, appreciating the marble finishing, and the beauty of it all. I took the elevator up to our penthouse. When I reached our floor, I took off my jacket and hung it on the coat rack by the elevator. I headed down the hallway towards the stairs, glancing at the apartment.

I looked through the high archway of the sitting room. The far side of the wall was completely made of a light panel wood. The opposite walls were a light brown color that complemented the soft beige of the carpet. In the center of the room was a low coffee table made of glass that held a vase of red tulips. Surrounding the coffee table are two low, beige settees angled around the fireplace. The windows displayed a vast view of Central Park and the buildings surrounding.

Down through the hallway, after the sitting room, were a bathroom, a closet, the dining room, a library, living room, and finally the kitchen.

Nothing was packed up; none of this is coming with us. It was all staying here for whenever my parents decide to come back on short trips. I was going to miss all of the familiarity.

I headed to my room and closed the door, not wanting to be disturbed. I still had to pack some of my personal things and decided to do it for the rest of the night. I still had another two days in New York and didn't want to spend them packing.

My room was painted in a periwinkle blue. The bed is a white wood with a white duvet that had tiny blue flowers at the edges. My desk and all the other bedroom furniture were also in a white wood. Above the bed was an assemblage of pictures of my friends and I from different outings and events that showcased my life. From school dances, picnics in Central Park, to slumber parties, everything was included. Every aspect I knew I would miss the most.

I walked up to the suitcase on the floor and gazed inside, finding a smattering of objects that I would take with me to Forks. There were random picture frames, CDs, jewelry, and other inconsequential items that weren't important enough to pack into the things already shipped to Washington. The majority of my closet was already waiting for me in my new home, except for the outfits for my remaining days in New York.

Once I was finished perusing my things and reorganizing the suitcase, I took a quick shower, washing my hair with my favorite freesia scented shampoo and conditioner and got ready to lay in front of the television until I was tired enough to sleep.

After a while, my eyes were starting to droop so I turned the television off, got under the covers and got ready for my dream.

Sleep found me far too quickly and as soon as I closed my eyelids, I was aware of the oncoming dream. I looked around found myself in the familiar darkness, standing in the middle of the dark circular room. I couldn't see anything outside of the faint circle of light that shined through the glass window above me.

I waited for the next part of my dream, when the strangers would show up. When I first had this dream, I was completely frightened of them. I didn't know if they were there to harm me or not, especially since I couldn't see their faces.

One by one, the people started to appear, coming closer. My breath quickened when I realized that unlike my other dreams, they were coming a little closer. I could make out some of their features, but not completely.

"Who are you?" I whispered, knowing I would get no response.

From behind me I felt his presence close to me. I felt his hand brush across the small of my back and I turned to face him. I stared into his eyes, so much like mine, wondering why this dream was so different from my previous ones. The others never came as close to me before. I could barely distinguish their facial features before, but now, their faces were clearer.

"Isabella…" he whispered, his voice full of hope and something else I couldn't put a name to. He raised his hand and placed it on my cheek. Instinctively, I flinched away from his touch, but he reassured me with his eyes, the sense of being needed increasing. "It's okay. I'm waiting for you."

And then I woke up. It always ended this way. Sometimes his hand would linger on my cheek a moment more than usual, but then I would wake up to the bright sun shining through the windows in my room. For such a short, hardly eventful dream, it took up my entire night.

I didn't know what he meant when he said, "I'm waiting for you," but it always made me feel the same; as if once I meet this man, my life would be complete and my soul would stop searching for its other half.

I sighed and glanced at the clock on my bedside table. I only had two hours before my best friends would arrive to say their goodbyes. I only had that day, Thursday, to say goodbye to my life in New York. Friday was my last appointment with Dr. Reynolds and afterward I had to make my way to the airport straight after my session. I knew I'd be back some day, but for now, I'd rather please my parents and not put up much of a fuss. This move to Washington was important to them for some reason I was yet to be privy of.

I got up from my bed, brushed my teeth, showered, and got dressed, ready to go in no time. Once I was done, I went downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of cereal before the girls arrived.

As I was placing the bowl into the sink, the doorbell rang. I jogged to the door and threw it open, quickly embracing my friends.

"Bella!" Tanya screamed in my ear. Tanya Denali was your typical, all-American girl. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and had the Upper-East Side attitude we all went through but she never got over. I hugged her back and then moved behind her to hug Kate, my other best friend and Tanya's twin sister.

Kate smiled softly and squeezed me back. Kate had dark blonde hair and bright green eyes, but looked exactly like Tanya. She was softly spoken and was a true and loyal friend. She kept the three of us together and stuck it out through all the drama between us throughout the years. Out of the two of them, I was much closer to Kate than I was to Tanya, even though it wouldn't seem that way. Kate and I have the same temperaments, similar hobbies, and our personalities do not clash as much as Tanya and I do.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Katie," I whispered into her hair. After releasing her from my embrace, we moved our little party to my room where we spent the next couple of hours reminiscing our friendship, living through the ups and downs we have been through, and reassuring each other we'd keep in touch. We watched movies, did our nails, and pigged out on sugary snacks. We already visited our usual haunts throughout the city and shopped at our favorite stores one last time, so all that was left was spending the day together.

When they left after our dinner of pizza, I received a text message from my dreaded ex-boyfriend, James Carter.

_Why are you leaving me, babe?_ I frowned and replied.

_You lost your chance to use any sort of terms of endearment when you cheated on me when we dated. Please don't text me back. _I turned off my phone and changed into my soft, comfortable yoga pants and a tank top, getting ready to watch another movie in bed for the night.

Tomorrow, I would wake up early for my session with Dr. Reynolds, and afterwards, I'd leave to Washington. Super, with a side of heavy sarcasm

* * *

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed my first chapter. I haven't really decided on my posting schedule, but since the chapters are already completed, it won't be too long of a wait between chapters. **

**I would really appreciate some feedback to see if people are actually liking what they are reading, so please review! **

**Once again, I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 2

When I woke up the next morning after dreaming of my mystery man, I rushed through my morning routine, realizing how late I was. Running out the door, I quickly grabbed my purse, my luggage, and the small carry-on that would accompany me on my way to Forks.

Reaching the lobby of my building, I quickly gave Walter a huge hug, passed the driver my things, and set off on my way to Dr. Reynolds' office.

When I arrived, I jogged into the building, brushing past the receptionist in the lobby and catching the closing door of the elevator.

I reached Dr. Reynolds's office and knocked twice on the door.

"Come in," I faintly heard from the other side. I opened the door and walked in.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Dr. Reynolds, I overslept," I told her, sitting in the designated chair.

"It's alright, Isabella." She picked up her notebook and a pencil and peered over her glasses at me. "So, did you have your dream last night?"

"Yeah, it's like clockwork." I picked at the lose thread in my shirt, waiting for Dr. Reynolds to say something.

"Anything different from the other times?" she asked.

"Yes, actually. He spoke to me." I blushed, looking at my knees. I didn't intend to tell her this new information, but something compelled me to do so. I figured an outsider's opinion in this situation I was having was better than no opinion at all.

"May I ask what he said?" She seemed curious, but not in an annoying sort of way. I could tell she actually cared. There was just something about her that screamed loving and motherly.

"He told me it was okay and that he was waiting for me," I replied, glancing up at her, suddenly shy, waiting for her next comment.

"What do you think he means by that?" she asked, while writing something down in the notebook.

"What does it matter? There's nothing else I can tell you. I'm leaving, this is our last session." I couldn't help but be a tad bit bitter. I wished there was someone that could explain to me exactly what this dream meant.

"It all matters, Isabella. These dreams could be telling you something very important that could affect your life. Listen Isabella," she put down the notebook and shuffled closer to me in her seat, "I know this is our last session, but I hope you understand that the reason I am here is to listen and help you. I can't do that if you refuse to cooperate."

"I'm not refusing to cooperate," I said defiantly. "I've told you everything that comes to mind. There's nothing else to say. I'm sorry if I sound like I don't appreciate your help, because I do. It's nice to tell someone and not feel crazy."

"You aren't crazy, honey. Don't ever think that. Okay, I guess you can go then. I know you have a flight to catch." We both stood up and walked to the door. "Just remember you have my number, I'll always be just a phone call away."

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Reynolds." I gave her a small hug and walked out of her office and down the elevator. In the elevator, I turned on my phone and checked the time, making sure I wasn't still behind, and noticed I had five messages from James and two missed calls from my mother.

After deleting the messages without reading them, I called my mother back, knowing she was probably worried.

"_Isabella, I've called you twice now. Where have you been, missy?" _She didn't even let the phone ring twice.

"Hey Mom, I'm fine," I told her sarcastically.

"_I know you're fine, honey. Have you left Dr. Reynolds'office?_" she said breathlessly. I glanced to my right, seeing a figure standing in the elevator I didn't notice beforehand. That's when I noticed _him_ standing there looking at me. I gasped in surprise and his lips shifted into a small smile.

"Isabella…" he whispered, disappearing.

"_Isabella, are you there? Are you on your way to the airport?"_ My mother's voice brought me out of my stupor and back to the conversation at hand.

"Mom, I'm in the elevator now, leaving the office. I'll be in the airport in about ten minutes." I walked into the lobby after the elevator doors opened and out the building to the car waiting for me.

"_Okay, honey. I'll see you when you get here! Love you!"_

"Love you too, Mom." I hung up on her as I entered the car and settled in for the ride.

After a short while, we reached the busy airport and the driver took my bags and gave them to the airport attendant. Once I was checked in, I made my way to the family jet. In my seat on the plane, I took out my iPhone and plugged in my earphones, listening to music, thinking about how my life was changing, hoping it was for the best.

* * *

Lost in my music, it didn't seem to take long to get from Manhattan to Forks.

When the jet reached the gate, I grabbed my jacket and my bag, putting away my phone and earphones, and headed for the exit. The flight attendant smiled, opening the door and leading me out.

"Welcome to Forks, Washington, Miss Swan," she said through her fake smile. She looked like she wanted to be here as much as I did.

"Thank you." I tightened my grip on my bag, bracing myself before entering this alien environment. I was so used to New York and its concrete jungle. All I saw here was green, and lots of it. There were yellows, oranges, browns, but the majority was green. It was a bit overwhelming, yet still the beauty of it shocked me. The contrast from tall buildings and an abundance of gray with this strange planet was profound.

I stepped out of the terminal and approached Harvey, our butler. He was one of my closest friends. Harvey has been in my family since before I was born. He and my father grew up together. Since my father was raised an only child, he embraced Harvey as a brother and ultimately I viewed him as an uncle. The fact that he worked for my family was basically overlooked and it did not deter any of us from treating him like the family he was.

"Harvey!" I gave him a big hug. He returned it with a smile. He smelled nice and clean, always with a hint of the way the apartment in New York smelled like.

"Bella, honey, how was your flight?" he asked. He was always there for me, asking me how I am, helping me with all my problems.

"It was alright. The peanuts were great. Emphasis on the 'great,'" I answered sarcastically.

"Oh Bella, you'll love it here. I promise. You know I don't break my promises."

He doesn't.

"I know, Harv. I just need time, that's all."

"I understand. Let's get out of here, shall we?"

"Might as well." He hooked my hand in his arm and led me away from where we were standing.

We walked towards the exit to the automatic doors. As we approached them, the cold air sent goose bumps down my spine, making me shiver. I put my jacket on, anticipating the colder fall air outside the building.

We stepped out in the parking lot and walked towards the black town car waiting for us.

"Harvey, I could have sworn this was October," I told him, shivering.

"Yes, Bella, but this is Washington, there are no tall buildings to capture the wind, no anything to cover up the weather. You'll be even colder come winter."

I frowned, and like always, Harvey caught on to my mood.

"You'll learn to love it."

"If you say so." We reached the sleek black town car and got in. When I sat down, the heat warmed up my frozen cheeks and we left the airport, driving through a forest of trees.

About twenty minutes later, we arrived at a large, castle-like house. The lights outside illuminated the stony structure, giving it a medieval look. It was beautiful and regal.

"Wow. I didn't know this is what it looked like. It's beautiful," I stated in awe.

Harvey took in my astonished face and laughed. "It's called the Swan Manor. Just the Manor to everyone. Your father's ancestors built it. Your family has been living in Forks for generations. I bet you didn't know that."

"No, I didn't. Dad never talks about his family. That's amazing though. It seems so old and majestic. I love it. What's my room like?" I would miss the apartment in New York, but the idea of having more space and the silence of not living in a city sounds ideal.

"You'll see for yourself," he smiled. "All of your things are unpacked, you don't have to lift a finger." He smiled wider, making me more excited.

We approached the house and I jumped out of the car, walking towards the large front door. There was a large, silver family crest above the silver knocker. It was a lion on its hind legs, its soundless roar nearly audible. The lion was entwined with vines, trailing throughout the crest.

"I've seen this symbol before. Haven't I, Harv?" I asked. I've seen in throughout my life in random places in my home, whether it was on a door, a tie belonging to my father, or even the notebook he uses and keeps in his office. I never thought to ask him what it was before now.

"Yes, that is the old families' crest." Harvey answered. "Basically, all of the families that have lived here since the beginning bear this crest. They're called the Founders around here. Six families, including yours. Your father will explain in greater detail if you ask."

"Huh, who knew there was so much history to this small town?" We entered the Manor and I was silenced with amazement. It was gorgeous. It definitely beat the old apartment in New York.

The double stairs were the focal point of the vast entrance, the rails and the banisters gleaming. It was large, yet the sense comfort was captured perfectly. Curtains enveloped the windows, casting warm shadows against the walls. There were bookshelves upon bookshelves throughout the library, seen through a glass door under the stairs. Up at the top of the joining staircase was a crystal chandelier, gleaming with the shine escaping from the windows.

There was so much to look at but at that moment, my parents entered the hall from a door off the stairs, walking hand in hand with their usual air of confidence.

"Isabella, you're here!" my father, Charles Swan said, looking extremely happy. He looked just like me. His hair showed only a few strands of gray, making him look distinguished and his face held laugh lines and a few wrinkles here and there. I've never seen him this happy before. He's usually always cooped up in his office, working nonstop.

"Dad! Where have you been hiding this place all my life?" I said. I gave both my parents a hug and turned to look at them, seeing new life in them. It was weird; this place brought my parents back to earth.

"Oh, Isabella," my mother started, "you're only seventeen years old." I shifted my attention back to my father after looking at her with a sarcastic glare.

"Honey, I'm sorry I never told you about where I came from. It's really a long, boring story—."

"Oh, no, I get it. Harvey told me. Six founding families, generations, blah, blah, blah." I interrupted him.

"Well, seems like you know the basics. Thanks for that, Harvey."

"No problem, sir."

"I'll tell you the real story later, Isabella. But I'm guessing you're dying to see your room now. Am I right?" he asked.

"Definitely," I said with a smile.

We all walked up the right staircase, making the usual small talk. The stairs were beautifully carved from a warm, mahogany wood, as were the banisters and the railings.

I reached the top of the stairs first, looking back at my parents. Taking the hint, my mother said, "Third door to the right," with a smile on her face.

My father simply said, "We'll leave you to it then. If you need us, we'll be around." They headed to the opposite direction, chattering about the house and their friends. I ignored them and walked through the hallway.

_One. Two. Three._ I counted the doors. I stood outside what would be my room for a few seconds, waiting. I turned the knob and pushed the door open.

It was perfect. The room was painted a bright red. In the center of the room against the far left side of the room was a huge king sized bed with a black duvet. The furniture was all black and went well with the red of the room. On the other side of the bed was a large window that seemed to take up the whole wall. The window was draped with large black curtains that reached the floor, making the room seem a little darker than it should. I sat down on the bed, speechless. My smile grew wider as I noticed a door ajar opposite the bed.

My closet. It was even bigger than the one I had back in the old apartment and had a floor to ceiling mirror on one side of the wall. All my clothes were there, along with unrecognizable clothes that I assumed were for school. In the closet was my bathroom. The large mirror made the closet and the bathroom seem twice its size. It was all surreal.

With all these feelings going through my mind, the greatest of all was a sense of comfort. I was home and I didn't hate it at all. It was as if I'd been living here all my life. There was a strange feeling of belonging, as if this was where I was meant to be all my life. Living in New York was great—the fast pace, all the things to do, my friends, everything seemed almost inconsequential to this new feeling of _home_.

"Do you like it?" My mother's voice broke the happy silence. She was standing at my door, a look of expectation on her face.

"No. I love it. I thought I would be upset leaving New York and everyone, but I'm not anymore," I answered her, honestly.

"That's great, Bella. Your father and I hoped you would feel this way. We've been meaning to move back here for a while. I guess now was a perfect time as ever."

"I suppose it was. What about school though? I mean, I don't mind not missing a couple days, but what's going to happen? I just started my senior year last month, I don't want to be behind."

"There's a private school not far from here. It just so happens to be the school your father and I went to. You'll love it. It's a great school. We've already registered for you; you start on Monday."

"Oh, okay."

"Bella…" she said, worried.

"Its fine, Mom. Don't worry about it."

"Are you still having those dreams?" She asked as she walked over to where I was standing, combing her fingers through my hair.

"Yes. But it doesn't matter. They'll stop eventually." I looked at my mother, her few strands of gray hair, the young face, and I wished she'd stop worrying about me. Those wrinkles wouldn't disappear themselves.

"Its okay, sweetie, those dreams will mean something to you _sooner_ or later." I watched as she left my room, noticing the emphasis on "sooner."

I couldn't help think they were hiding something from me. I hated that. First they made me move away from my friends, even though I didn't mind as much anymore, and now they're keeping secrets from me too?

Whatever. Maybe it was just my imagination. I picked up my phone, realizing the time. It was almost five o'clock on a Friday and I was sitting in a new house in a place called Forks in Washington. It was unbelievable how fast my life could change.

I left my room, leaving the door open just in case I couldn't find my way back. I walked down the stairs and entered the door my parents came through when I arrived. It seemed to be like a mix between a library and a study.

Thousands and thousands of books lined every square inch of the walls. There was a large mahogany desk in the corner that I assumed my father was going to use. There was a fireplace with an already glowing fire, warming up the room. Around the fire were a couple of plush couches with large cushions and a small coffee table.

It was amazing. It smelled like the scent of new books when you first open them; the smell of adventure, knowledge, and escape. I loved reading, and I had a feeling that after my room, this was going to be my favorite room in the house.

I randomly chose a book from one of the shelves nearest me and sat down on one of the large comfy couches around the crackling fire. As I opened the front page of _Pride & Prejudice,_ the loud doorbell rang through the house and reached my ears.

I glanced up, waiting to hear the sound of the front door opening. When no sound came, I got up, heading to open it.

"I'll get it!" I yelled to no one in particular.

I swung open the unlocked door and there he was. I was face to face with the man of my dreams. Well, the man from my specific dream.

His piercing eyes plunged into mine, round with surprise. His mouth was slightly open, either in surprise or as if he was going to say something. I couldn't tell.

"It's you…" I heard him say under his breath.

He stared at me as I stared back at him, both of us speechless.

His copper hair was wild and looked so soft. He was wearing a very similar outfit to mine: dark washed jeans and a loose white V-neck t-shirt. He held a black leather jacket over his left arm.

From the corner of my eye, I saw his hand reach out and touch my cheek. Once I felt his touch, what felt like a soft bolt of electricity fired from his hand to my cheek and we both gasped. At that moment, I felt my world shift to the person standing in front of me. My tunnel vision channeled in on him and him alone. I could see nothing else apart from this person in front of me.

After what felt like hours, the silent moment was broken by the sound of my father's greeting behind me.

"Ah! You must be Carlisle's boy. It's nice to finally meet you; your father has told me so much about you." My mystery man lowered his hand from my cheek quickly as my father approached but held my gaze.

My father glanced at the two of us before holding his hand out to my familiar stranger. He shook hands with my father, finally taking his eyes off of mine, breaking our steady eye contact.

"Yes sir, my name is Edward, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Swan," he said to him. His voice made my knees weak, my breathing speed up. My heart raced as my father opened the door wider, inviting our guest in. As he passed by me, he stole a quick glance at me, probably taking in the dumbfounded look on my face.

"None of that now. Call me Charlie. I see you've met my daughter. She's your age, starting at Forks Prep on Monday, hope you can take her under your wing, show her around, you know." My father sure knew how to embarrass me. I glared at him, hoping he understood my meaning behind it.

He held out his hand to me and said, "I'm Edward."

"Isabella," I said, taking his hand. The moment I settled my small hand in his large one, I got a flash of my recurring dream. This stranger, Edward, the focal point.

I let out another involuntary gasp, low enough only he heard. He quickly retreated his hand, a bewildered look on his face.

I didn't know what to say so I turned and closed the massive front door with a low thud. I turned toward Edward and my father and followed them to the room to the left of the door, what seemed to be a sitting room. The walls were a creamy white, lit up by the multiple lamps throughout the room. The drapes were a dark green, matching the lampshades and the couches, which surrounded another fireplace. This room was very formal, obviously used for when guests visited.

My father sat in one of the two armchairs and Edward sat in the couch to his left. I stood beside my father's chair, curious about my familiar stranger's visit. Harvey entered the room, walking towards our company and asked, "Can I offer you anything to drink?

"I'll take my regular, Harvey. Anything for you, Edward?" my father answered him.

"No, no thank you, sir." Edward answered with a polite smile to Harvey.

"Bella?" he asked me.

"Um," I stuttered, "no, I'm fine, thanks." I went to the couch on my father's right, opposite Edward and sat down, still feeling the tingling sensation on my cheek and hand. I noticed my father looking at me suspiciously and I could tell he sensed something strange about the way I was acting. Harvey stepped out to retrieve my father's scotch and I glanced at Edward, noticing he was staring at me again and I quickly looked down at my hands, suddenly nervous.

"So what brings you here, son?" my father asked him, after witnessing our peculiar exchange.

"Oh, my father asked me to personally invite you and your family to our home tomorrow for a small welcome party," he answered, looking back to my father. "We will be joined by the other Founding families." His voice was like velvet—smooth and sultry. I couldn't stop listening to his words, watching his every move and feeling every breath he took.

"That sounds fantastic, we'll definitely be there. You say all the families are attending?" My father was clearly excited.

"Yes, the McCarty's, the Brandon's, the Hale's and the Whitlock's, sir."

"Excellent! Bella here needs some friends. I'm sure you guys can take care of her." I can't believe he just said that, I thought, blushing. At that point, Harvey entered the room and handed my father his drink, and walked out. I wish he would have stayed and defended me. No such luck.

"Dad." I could kill him. I glared at him, wishing I could telepathically tell him off for making me seem like such a loser.

"What?" A look of innocence entered his face. He knew he was in trouble.

"Oh, I'm sure she'll fit in with us just fine." He looked at me then, a smile growing on his face. I could have melted. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Sw—Charlie. I should get going."

"Already?" My father asked. I felt the same way. I could sit here and look at him for hours, drinking in his voice.

"Yes, sir. My parents want me home as soon as I'm done here." He smiled apologetically.

We all stood and walked Edward to the front door. He shook my father's hand and said to me, "See you later, Isabella."

"Bye," I said stupidly. My father and I stood at the door and watched him as he walked out and into a shiny, silver Volvo. My father left the doorway but I stood and watched as he drove out of the driveway and outside of the gates.

I closed the door, leaning against it, trying to remember the way his hand felt in mine, the dream that felt like a memory floating behind my closed eyes.

"Bella?" my father's voice called.

"Yeah, Dad?" I said, opening my eyes. He was standing at the doorway of the library behind me, watching as I stood there.

"You don't have to come to the get together if you don't want to."

"That's okay, Dad. I'm looking forward to it. Can you tell me more about the Founding Families now?"

"Sure, let's sit." We entered the warm library and I sat where I left my forgotten book. My father sat beside me, tucking me in under his arm.

"Well," he started, "when Forks was first established, there were only six families who promised each other and their witnesses that they would never let the surrounding land fall into the hands of anyone else other than the original six families. Each family had only one child and as the town grew, the Founding Families never expanded apart from one child in each generation. We never left, keeping our promise. We stayed here, aware of the gossip and the rumors surrounding the families. There were so many stories about us, none that could be proven true, yet the townspeople seemed to offer the families more respect out of fear than any other family in Forks.

"Throughout the years, the Founding Families were the same: six families, six children." He smiled down at me, then.

"Every family," he continued, "has similar features, but none of us are related. We all strangely have the same honey colored eyes that could never be explained. And we've never been able to have more than one child. Just like you have no cousins or aunts and uncles, neither do I or my father before me and so on. We can't explain it, no one knows why. So that's it. You should go get ready for bed."

"Thanks for the story, Dad." I got up, heading for the stairs.

"Goodnight, honey."

"Goodnight." I returned to my room and got ready for bed. When I was finished, I lay in bed thinking about everything my father told me about the Founding Families.

What I understood is that Edward and I are definitely not related despite the similarities, and that there were others I would soon be meeting. Why did this seem so familiar? I couldn't quite put my finger on it as I drifted off to sleep, waiting for my dream to take over.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! Thank you all for reading :) Here's my third chapter!**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 3

I woke up Saturday at around ten in the morning. A feeling of anxiety entered my mind as I thought about the party later on that night at Edward's. I figured out why the Founding Families being familiar bothered me so much. It was the people from my dream—the sons and daughters of the families. And me, of course. What annoyed me was the obvious question: Why was I having this dream? I've been having it for a few months now, always the same dream every night. But it wasn't really a scary dream; it was just utterly confusing.

I knew I felt a connection to Edward last night, especially when I shook his hand. I felt like he saw what I saw, or something along the lines of it. It was all so confusing. What exactly was I feeling for this stranger?

As if thinking of Edward reminded me of his absence, a sharp pain resonated throughout my chest and in my heart. My hand flew up as if trying to stifle the pain until I felt it dull away. It didn't go away but it forced itself to the back of my mind as I rose from my bed.

I walked to my bathroom and looked in the mirror, seeing a whole new face looking at me. Everything was the same; the facial features, the eyes, the bed hair. But now with this knowledge of my ancestors before me, I felt different. Like my own little world was actually bigger than I thought it really was.

After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I went to my closet and changed out of my pajamas and into a black sweater, jeans, and my favorite pair of black ankle boots. I ran my fingers through my hair and walked out of the door and into the hallway.

I went down to the kitchen where I found Harvey making pancakes.

"Morning, Harv. That smells amazing. Any for me?" I asked him.

"Yes ma'am. I heard you wake up so I thought I'd make you your favorite chocolate chip pancakes," he answered.

"Aw, thank you Harvey, you're so good to me. Where are my parents?"

"They left early this morning to visit some old friends in Seattle."

"We just got here and already they're leaving?" I sat down at the table while Harvey served me some hot pancakes.

"They'll be back around five, in time for the party. Are you looking forward to it?" Harvey asked.

"I don't know. I'm more nervous than anything else." I picked up my fork and speared one of the pancakes.

"You know that dream I told you about, Harv?" I asked, eyeing my fork. Harvey was another person I trusted enough to confide in. Apart from Dr. Reynolds, my parents and Harvey, no one else knew.

"The one with the people around you?" He walked to the other side of the wide kitchen and started cleaning up the dishes he used. His back was turned from me and luckily I couldn't see his face when I answered him.

"Yeah," I said, "that one. Well, the one guy I always see the nearest to me was that guy who stopped by last night. Edward." Saying his name brought that sharp pain back to my chest and I winced.

"Andy," he said, turning to look at me. "Are you sure about this? I'm pretty sure you've never seen that boy in your life."

"I haven't, Harvey, but I swear it's him. The same face, same eyes, same everything. It's him." I took a bite out of a side of a pancake and thought about what happened last night when he touched my cheek. Will Harvey believe me? I barely believe myself.

"I don't understand how this could happen. Maybe you're psychic?" He laughed, but I knew there was some sort of belief. He wouldn't ever mock me.

"It's weird though," I continued. "When I met him yesterday, I think we had like some sort of a connection or something. A physical one. I felt as if I've seen him before. I don't know. Tonight seems like it'll be a big disappointment. And it doesn't help that Dad is incredibly embarrassing."

"Oh, yes. I heard that little comment he made about you. Don't worry about it. You'll be fine. Finish your breakfast; I have to go speak to the staff." He walked out of the kitchen, heading for a pair of doors that lead to a large dining area.

I picked up my fork again and finished my pancakes. When I was done, I washed my dishes in the sink and went towards the front door, making my way outside. I wanted to walk around, explore my new home.

I stepped out into the chilly morning air, straining my eyes against the bright sun. The wind felt nice against my sweater. I shook my hair out, feeling it move with the breeze. It was a beautiful day. I walked towards the back of the house and through the black iron gate that lead to the backyard.

I entered an area with a grill, a large picnic table, and multiple chairs. Across the expanding lawn, there was a large rectangle shaped pool, lawn chairs on the opposite side. Beyond the pool was the Lake surrounded by old maple trees of every color of the season. The water looked peaceful and cold. There were birds on the rippling surface and the wind shook out their feathers. Large houses enveloped the Lake, the Manor the furthest point on the street, Mystic Lane. It was breathtaking.

I walked to the pool and bent down, my fingertips grazing the water. The icy sensation sent shivers up and down my spine and I quickly pulled my hand away. I walked back around the pool and after inspecting the yard once again, I entered the house through a glass door, finding myself inside a living room.

The room's walls were a warm burgundy red, adding a sense of comfort and darkness. Here, there were three soft, cushiony sofas that looked like you could sink in when sitting.

Across from the sofas were a large flat screen television and an entertainment center with all kinds of performance enhancers, large speakers, and many types of gaming systems. Between the couches and the television was a low, wooden coffee table that held remotes and a bowl of lavender scented potpourri.

I crossed the room and went through the nearest door and I found myself back at the front hall of the house and face to face with a very large, black-haired boy around my age with familiar honey eyes.

He smiled at me and held out his hand.

"Hi, you must be Isabella. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Emmett McCarty." I took his hand, thankfully getting no sort of flashback or vision. I smiled warmly back at him.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked him. He was gorgeous, of course, just not as gorgeous as Edward. He was dressed in black jeans, a white button-up shirt, and the air of confidence around him was apparent. He was huge, the muscles in his arms bulging slightly.

"Oh, no, not really. I just stopped by to say hello, introduce myself."

"Oh, well, come in, I guess," I said, aware of the fact that he was already inside the house. I led him into the sitting room, the sound of our footsteps the only sound around.

"Can I get you anything to drink or eat?" I asked him politely.

"Some water would be nice, thank you," he answered, sitting down on the couch.

"Alrighty, don't go anywhere."

"I won't," his smile widened. I walked out to the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator. I walked back to Emmett and handed him one of the glasses and sat down opposite him.

"Thank you," he said, taking a sip from his bottle.

"So, I'm assuming you're one of the other Families?" I asked, curious.

"Yes," he laughed. "How are you liking Forks?"

"I actually haven't seen any more than the airport and this house," I answered.

"Oh, I can show you around if you'd like some time. I hear you're starting at Forks Prep on Monday?"

"Yes. Do you go to school there too?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's great, you'll love it. Have you met anyone from around here other than me?"

"Yeah, um, Edward Cullen." Again, the sharp pain hit my chest and I tried hard not to let my face show. "He came by last night and spoke to my father. He invited us to a small get together tonight at his place."

"Ah, Edward." A weird look came on his face then, almost kind of suspicious.

"Yeah," he continued, "We're all really close friends, like family. You'll meet Jasper, Alice, and my Rosalie at Edward's. We know you'll fit in with us; we're kind of a tight-knit group."

"That's nice. Do any of you have any brothers or sisters?" Once the topic of Edward changed, the pain went away again, but not completely. I would have to tell my father, the doctor of the family, about it before it got more severe.

"No, each family only has one child. We take comfort in the fact that we're super close and so treat each other like siblings. Jasper and Edward are my brothers. Alice is my sister. You're our new little sister." I knew this, but the weird factor of the situation needed to be confirmed.

"I'll keep that in mind," I was smiling kindly at him when Harvey walked into the room.

"Hey, Harv, this is Emmett. Emmett, this is Harvey," I introduced them and smiled at Harvey.

"It's nice to meet you Harvey," Emmett said while he stood to shake Harvey's hand. "I, uh, have to get going, but it was great meeting you, Isabella."

"Please, call me Bella." I got up and followed him to the front door, grateful for a new friend.

"I'll see you later, okay, Bella?" He smiled, lightly touching my arm and walked out the door.

"He was nice," Harvey said, once the door was firmly shut behind Emmett.

"Yeah, he was great. He'll be at the party tonight. I feel more nervous now. Everybody says I'm going to fit in, but how can they know that? I'm different than all of them. I didn't grow up with them, didn't have everyone else's support like them."

"Bella," Harvey said leading me back into the sitting room, "they're going to love you. You worry too much. Now, I have to get some things done. Do you need anything before I go?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you." I walked back up to my room and turned on my laptop sitting on my desk. I was distracted, bored, I didn't know what to do or think. I just knew that tonight was going to be a very interesting night.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**I'll update again on Friday(:**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great week. I've settled on a Mon/Fri schedule for posting, btw.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Reminder: I don't have a beta, all mistakes are mine.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 4

We were on our way to the Cullen's house in our town car. I sat between my parents wearing my favorite little black dress. It had long sleeves of lace and went down to above my knees. I had black, sheer stockings on underneath and a red trench coat. I left my long hair straight and down, and only put on lip balm. Although my feet were comfortable in my favorite pair of black pumps, the rest of me was extremely uncomfortable and I was getting really nervous. My heart was pounding and the pain in my chest was faint, yet I was still aware of it and my hands were starting to get a little sweaty.

We turned into a wide driveway a couple minutes from The Manor and approached a house a little smaller than ours, but not by much. My father held his hand out for me as he got out and my mother stepped out from the other side. I took his hand and climbed out of the car.

"Thanks, Daddy. You look nice," I told him. He was wearing a nice, crisp black suit and white dress shirt with a tie.

"Thank you, sweetie. You look as lovely as ever, Bella. I'm excited for you to meet the guys I grew up with." We joined my mother, who was wearing a modest black dress and heels, and walked up the driveway and to the door. When we reached the door, I noticed the same lion crest in the center, the symbol of the Founders' Families.

I stood beside my parents and my father knocked on the door. About half a minute later, a man answered the door, greeting us and leading us inside. He took our coats and directed us into a large modern sitting room, announcing our arrival simply with, "The Swan's" and promptly left.

Sitting around a small coffee table were the remaining Founders' Families. Edward and Emmett were nowhere to be seen, neither was anyone else my age.

"Charlie!" exclaimed a handsome, middle-aged man to my father. They embraced and I was introduced to Carlisle Cullen, Edward's father. The women were all like my mother: attractive, well dressed and well mannered. The men all reminded me of my father: they had the same temperaments, smiled a lot, happy to be reunited. It was strange to see the connection the Founding Families had, with their—or I guess _our—_honey tinted eyes.

They were all very kind to me when we were introduced and I felt very warm towards them, like they were family. I was completely surprised to find Dr. Reynolds among the women.

"Dr. Reynolds! What are you doing here?" I asked, nervously. This was the woman I told my dream about and I was afraid she told the other Families what I was dreaming. I hoped she didn't, it would be the death of me if Edward's parents found out I was dreaming about their son.

"Well, I live here," she smiled at her own joke. "Your parents asked me not to tell you. Reynolds is my maiden name, the name I use for work. My married name is Whitlock."

I looked at my parents suspiciously.

"What?" my mother asked. "We weren't going to take you to_ any_ psychiatrist. We wanted the best. And Char is the best. Besides, you only needed someone to talk to, it's not like there's something wrong with you. And you didn't want to come to us so we called her."

"Oh," I said, defeated. "I guess that makes sense. Thank you again, Dr. Reynolds."

"Please, none of that. Call me Charlotte." I smiled at her and introduced myself to the other ladies present.

As I met each family, they commented on my beauty and of course, the fact that I was the sole girl. We sat down and my parents caught up with their friends. My name was mentioned a couple times, but I sat quietly, listening.

"So Isabella," asked Emmett's mother, Veronica, "how are you enjoying Forks so far?"

"It's nice here, thank you. I know I'm going to get used to the change perfectly fine." I answered.

"That's great! The kids can help you with that too," Charlotte said beside her.

The adults all insisted I call them by their first names. I learned that Carlisle Cullen was the chief of surgery at the local hospital and the lovely Esme Cullen owned her own interior designing company. She was actually the one who decorated my room.

Emmett McCarty Sr. was Forks Prep's headmaster and Mayor of Forks, while Veronica McCarty was a photographer. She had her own studio in town and took photographs of people, nature, animals, and buildings. She worked freelance, but also sent her pictures in to be used in magazines. Veronica promised to take family pictures and group pictures, now that the Founding Families were now together and reunited.

Peter and Charlotte Reynolds-Whitlock, evidently, were both psychiatrists who had offices both here in Washington and New York. She would travel biweekly between each office, which made more sense to why my appointments were only every other week, while Peter, as he informed me to call him, travelled between their Forks office and one in Seattle.

Henry and Lillian Hale were apparently the real estate gurus of the state, selling and owning multiple properties and dominating over all other real estate offices throughout Seattle and other major cities in Washington, trickling to Oregon and even some towns in northern California. Lillian Hale was a beautiful blonde woman and looked a little strict at first glance but easily warmed up as the evening rode on.

The Brandon's, Mary and Robert, practically owned Forks, seeing as all the small-town businesses—like the local diner, the pharmacy, and the small movie theater—were owned by them. Their daughter, Alice, Mary told me, is set to open her own boutique after graduation.

I was surprised to see my parents be so down to earth as opposed to their usual selves. In New York, they were always wrapped up with work and charities and never had time for themselves. It seemed as if our move to Forks now relieved some of the pressures of living in the city and freed up more time—time they never had before. They seemed so relaxed around their friends and I was happy to hear that they never lost contact with the Families when they moved to New York when I was a baby.

The conversations continued around me and after a few minutes, I started getting bored. A laugh out in the entrance hall brought me back to reality as the rest of the Founding Families clamored in with large bags of ice in hand.

"Hey, Dad, we brought the ice you asked for." It was Edward. He looked like the epitome of gorgeous in a sexy black suit without a tie, the first couple of buttons on his shirt left open. His disheveled hair seemed to perfectly accent his look and those eyes of his were to die for. My heart started to beat frantically when his eyes met mine and I noticed the dull pain in my chest disappear and warmth travelled through my body.

"Finally," his father said to him, "we sent you boys for that ice over a half hour ago. Who knew it would take not only that long, but did all of you need to go, leaving poor Isabella here alone with us old folks?" He wasn't angry at all; he was too busy laughing at them with the other parents.

The man who opened the door for us came and retrieved the ice while they came around to their parents and was introduced.

"You have met Edward, of course," Carlisle said, "The others are Jasper, Emmett, Alice, and Rosalie." They smiled as they were introduced and I smiled back, tentatively.

Individual conversations started up again around me and the rest scattered to their families. I stood and walked to the window, staring out into the setting sun, trying not to stare at Edward who was sitting with his parents across from me. Someone approached me and I turned to find one of the boys, Jasper, and Alice, whom I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. Jasper was as tall as Edward was with shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes. Alice, his opposite, being super tiny with black hair and a pixie cut.

"Hey, Isabella, I'm Jasper and this is Alice. Welcome to Forks," he said, holding out his hand. I took his hand and smiled, grateful for the courtesy they were showing me.

"Hi Bella," squealed Alice with a wide smile. "We're going to be great friends."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," I said to them, clearly aware that the Families' genes apparently produced the best-looking people all around.

"The guys and I are heading to the game room and I'm sure you don't want to stick around with the elderly. You want to join us?"

I laughed and looked around at my parents, enjoying their friends and talking. I glanced back at Jasper and nodded my head, following him to the others grouped around the hall entrance. I was so nervous to speak to Edward again. Why was I acting like such an idiot around him? I'd be surprised if I didn't trip over my feet when he looked at me.

When we reached the others, Emmett smiled at me and said, "Hey, I'm glad you're here."

"I said I'd be," I said with a grin. The scathing look my way from the beautiful blonde next to him was not missed.

"Bella," Emmett started, "this is Rosalie, the love of my life."

Rosalie's tough exterior seemed to melt before my eyes. She looked at Emmett with such love in her eyes, grabbing his hand and holding it tightly. She turned to me and said, "It's nice to finally meet you."

"You too," I smiled.

"Isabella, it's nice to see you again," Edward said, coming up from behind Emmett. His velvet voice nearly made me melt into the floor.

"It's nice to see you again, too." Why did I suddenly get so stupid every time he speaks? I normally didn't act like this around guys, but with Edward, my brain was mush. I noticed the ever-present pain in my chest had completely disappeared.

"Let's go people!" Emmett said.

Once we exited the sitting room, I followed Edward through the hall entrance and down a short hallway to another door.

The room was fairly similar to the room back at home, but instead of the warm burgundy color, the walls were a dark gray, and there was a small mini bar in the far corner of the room. Instead of couches, there were beanbags around the television and a pool table against a side of the room. Jasper and Emmett went straight to the pool table to start a game while Rosalie and Alice turned to the stack of magazines around the television. Edward went to the bar and pulled out cans of soda for the group.

I approached the wall where there were photos of Edward's family in different locations: New York, Paris, California, and many more. It was mostly just his parents, but Edward was in a few. He looked genuinely happy to be with his parents on vacation in each photo, a feeling I knew not all people my age experienced when travelling with their parents. My back was turned to the group when I heard the pop of a can being opened behind me.

"Isabella, would you like a soda?" Edward asked me. He handed me the can and opened the other for himself. Hearing my name come from his voice nearly made my knees buckle, but I held myself together.

"Thanks. And please, call me Bella," I told him.

"Okay, Bella." He smiled. "So are you having fun yet?"

"Sure, I guess. Your house is really nice."

"Thank you, but the Manor is much better though. Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure." It was getting easier to talk to him, yet he still made me nervous.

"Well, the boys and I go over to your house all the time. Just don't tell your parents, we don't want to get in trouble," he joked.

"I won't," I laughed. "How do you get in?" I asked, curious.

"Oh, we jump the fence and use your pool in the summer and sometimes, Maria, your housekeeper, let's us in and we hang out in your game room; it's better stocked than anyone else's. But don't worry, we won't anymore." He smiled at me and I relaxed.

"It's alright, I'm sure my parents won't mind. I don't mind."

"That's great." His smile widened.

"Hey, you two, are you going to join us?" Emmett yelled over.

"We're coming," Edward told him, not removing his eyes from mine.

"Yeah," Alice said, "stop hogging our guest."

I laughed and looked away from Edward as we made our way over to the pool table. Even in my high pumps, Edward was still taller than me. He grabbed a stool from the bar and brought it over next to the wall, gesturing for me to take a seat.

Jasper brought over one of the cues to me, but I refused, saying, "You guys play, I'll watch." He walked back over to Alice, who seemed to have abandoned the magazines in order to watch the boys play. It seemed as if she and Jasper were an item themselves, especially with the way they moved around each other and were constantly touching, whether it was a small touch of the hand on Alice's back or a soft gaze they shared, their love was screaming at me and making me a tad bit jealous.

"So, Bella, tell us all about you," Emmett said. "We've all known each other since we were in diapers, but we know nothing about you."

"What do you want to know?" I asked. I was afraid of the type of questions they would ask, nervous and anxious to see if they would be too intruding. I had nothing to hide, but the feeling of being interrogated was overwhelming when faced with difficult questions and by so many people at once.

"Where did you live?" Jasper asked.

"Manhattan, New York City." I answered.

"Do you have a middle name?" Emmett questioned.

"Nope."

"Any pets?" Edward asked, my eyes capturing his.

"No, but I love dogs."

"Do you like shopping?" asked Alice, eagerly.

"Uh, sometimes. Not for myself, usually," I answered.

"It's alright, I'll shop for you," she squealed again. It seemed like Alice was a fashion enthusiast, which made what her mother told me about her opening her own boutique make so much sense.

"What's your favorite book?" I tore my gaze away from Alice to answer Jasper.

"Definitely Pride & Prejudice."

"Favorite movie?"

"I don't have one, I like a lot."

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Emmett. His eyes met mine while I took my time to answer. Why was he so eager to know? Did his question mean more to what he asked? The previous questions were mainly useful to get to know me, yet this one was more probing than the others. The look he through at Edward was also very obvious.

"No," I finally answered. Throughout my innocent interrogation, Edward was focused on setting up the balls on the pool table. At Emmett's question, he stopped, listening for my response. The small grin on his face told me he liked my answer.

"What about you guys," I asked. "How long have you been together?"

"Rosie and I have been together since we were like, I don't know," Emmett looked at Rosalie, "twelve or thirteen?" She nodded her head 'yes' with a small smile playing at her lips.

Alice piped up, saying, "Jazzy and I started dating when we were both fifteen." She quickly stood from the stool she was sitting on and kissed his cheek and sat back down. She seemed a little quirky, but I knew we would be fast friends.

Jasper turned his focus to the pool table. Emmett was still standing by Rosalie, facing the pool table to watch Edward break the balls. Watching the way they interacted, I noticed that they all really did act like family. Everything seemed so familiar to them and it didn't seem like they needed formal communication to interact with each other. They joked around, shoved each other at times, but they got along perfectly.

"So, Bella, you excited for Forks Prep on Monday?" Emmett asked me.

"Sure, my parents took care of everything for me so I should be fine in terms of registering."

"That's cool. You can hang out with us. You probably have all the same classes as us; that's how it works."

"How so?" I asked.

"We like to stick together," he said. "It's all arranged." He walked around the pool table, preparing for his turn. I looked at him questionably, but he just shrugged and continued playing.

"I'm done here, you guys can keep playing. Bella, you want me to show you around the house?" Edward asked me. He walked over to where I was sitting on the stool and held out his hand to help me down.

I took his hand and was again sent back to the same memory from my dream. This time, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper were there, replacing the empty faces of the other figures. I could see Edward closest to me, holding my hand. I felt so much power between the two of us. But what kind of power was this and where did it come from?

The vision ended just as soon as it started and I was still holding Edward's hand. This time, I knew he saw what I saw. His face had such a confused look. I didn't know what to say. I tried letting go of his hand, but he held on tighter and helped me off the stool and pulled me to a door leading to the backyard while I felt the warmth from his hand radiate throughout my entire body.

We walked to a large white gazebo surrounded by flowers and small trees. I was afraid he would question me on what we were seeing. I wouldn't know how to answer him, though. He stopped as we reached the gazebo, suddenly, but he didn't let go of my hand.

"You saw that didn't you?" he asked, a little breathless.

"Um, yeah, I did." I answered, pulling my hand out of his grasp, afraid of his reaction.

"And I'm guessing the other night, when I shook your hand, you saw that, too," he questioned.

I nodded my head, searching for words. Could I even consider telling him I've also dreamt of us together? It was getting really weird at that point. Does this have anything to do with what my parents have been hiding from me?

I walked into the gazebo, staring out to the lake behind the house. The moon was bright, shining out over the water, high in the sky. I could see the Manor beyond the trees, standing greatly in the moonlight. I leaned on one of the gazebo posts, thinking about everything that was happening.

"What does this mean, Isabella?" I heard him ask. He hadn't moved from where I left him and I was thankful for that. I needed a clear head for this conversation and being in close proximity with Edward doesn't help.

"I don't know," I finally answered, quietly.

"Does this vision thing happen with anyone else?"

"No. Only you." I turned around to see him sitting on the gazebo steps. I mustered up my courage and went and sat down next to him, pulling my knees to my chin.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, looking out into the darkness. I was feeling tense, waiting for any comment from Edward. I was also cold. As the night grew darker, the wind got chilly. I wrapped my arms around my body, trying my best to block the wind.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you must be freezing. Let's go back inside." He got up and I followed him through a different door and into the house. I followed him through a large living room and to the room where our parents were seated before.

They were gone, probably off to another part of the house. As I sat down close to the fire, Rosalie, Alice, Emmett and Jasper entered the room and sat down around me.

"Where were you guys?" Emmett asked. I noticed how Emmett was more outspoken than the others, yet Edward seemed to have more authority. "We went out to look for you but you were gone."

"We went outside to the gazebo," Edward answered him. I was glad he didn't mention anything about our visions; I was embarrassed enough.

"How lovely. Where did our parents go?" I couldn't tell if Emmett was being sarcastic, but he seemed genuinely happy that Edward and I were missing together.

"Uh, probably to get drinks," Edward told him. I wanted to go home, yet I didn't at the same time.

Thankfully, our parents walked in to where we were sitting.

"Bella, time to go home, honey," said my father. My mother was beside him waiting for me to join them.

I stood and everyone stood with me. It got awkward then as I smiled my goodbye at the boys and glanced nervously at Edward. He smiled slightly and I couldn't help looking away, a smile playing on my face.

I walked to my parents and my father helped me get into my coat and I grabbed my mother's outstretched hand. The crowd all approached the door and we all walked out. Apparently, the party was over and everyone was heading home.

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. I had a lovely evening," I told them as I said goodbye.

"You're welcome to come visit anytime, sweetheart," Mr. Cullen replied. "And remember, it's Carlisle and Esme, dear."

I waved goodbye as I climbed in after my mother in the town car. My father got in after me and closed the door. We drove in silence though the short drive and I realized Edward only lived about five minutes away. Walking distance.

But why did I care? He'd probably never be interested in me of all people. I mean, look how hot he is. I wasn't going to add my attraction to Edward on top of everything else going on. Or was I?

* * *

**Thanks all around for NannaRahRah, csp4, cbmorefie, and hira's for reviewing! :)**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.**

**This is the longest chapter yet! My chapters tend to fluctuate frequently, thankfully I update twice a week.**

**Reminder, all mistakes are mine.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 5

I woke up Sunday morning nervous about the coming school day. I was actually pretty lucky there was a school uniform or I'd be freaking out on what to wear.

Sunday was spent reorganizing my closet and shoes, making uniformity the focal point, reading, and talking to my friends from New York on my webcam. Before I went to bed that night, I sat in the library with my father.

"How was your night?" I asked him.

"Oh, it was alright. We mainly just talked about the old times over the drinks. How'd you like the kids?"

"They're all extremely nice. I liked them."

"Especially Edward?" he questioned.

"Dad!" I threw a pillow at him, embarrassed by his obvious comment.

"What? I can tell you're all gaga over him. It's like you're speechless every time he's around."

"No it's not, Dad," I said defensively. Gaga? Was it that apparent?

"Yes, it is, Bella. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me." He smirked.

"I didn't think it was that obvious. It's like I lose myself when he comes by. I get this weird feeling in my chest and I feel all warm inside," I told him honestly.

My father looked at me curiously for a moment before he answered me.

"Bella, I love you more than the world, but this is the type of conversation you have with your mother, definitely not with me."

"Yeah, I know," I said. "I'm sorry. I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Daddy." I got up and kissed him on his forehead.

"Goodnight, sweetheart. Have a good day at school tomorrow."

"Thanks, Dad." I left the room, walking slowly up the steps. Once I got to my room, I checked my phone and noticed a new message on the screen. I didn't open it; just expecting a message from one of my old friends from New York, no one here had my number, from what I knew. I went to bed instead, anticipating the next morning.

* * *

The sound of my alarm woke me up at six o'clock in the morning. I rose, all the nervous and anticipating feelings disappearing. I wasn't worried anymore, for some odd reason.

I got ready quickly. I remembered the unread message from the night before. I picked up my phone and read, "_Hey, Bella. Meet me at your locker when you get to school. You'll be fine with me __ -Alice_."

How did she manage to get my number? Maybe I unconsciously knew there was a positive message on my phone that helped me sleep better last night. I knew I was reaching for the impossible, but the strange feeling of anxiousness all but disappeared with this random message. I couldn't help but think of how kind and accepting they were to me.

I dropped my phone into my bag and walked out of my door and to the kitchen. The uniform was simple: white collared blouse with the school logo on the left and a black skirt. Variations of vests and jackets with the school's emblem were also included, but today I just stuck with the black skirt and white shirt. I grabbed my favorite black jacket and paired it up with black tights and simple black ballerina flats. I left my long, brown hair down and straight, too lazy to touch it with a comb or brush.

Downstairs and in the kitchen, I grabbed an apple from the bowl on the counter and made my way to the front door where Harvey was waiting for me at the door.

"Morning, Harv! What's up?" I said to him.

"Good Morning, Bella. I just wanted to wish you luck on your first day," he answered.

"Aw shucks, Harvey. Don't make me blush. Thank you, though. I have a feeling I'll be needing that luck today." I kissed him on his cheek and waved as he went through to the kitchen.

I opened the front door expecting to find Benny, the driver, and the town car waiting for me. Instead, not only did I find Benny and the car, but also Edward was there with his shiny, silver Volvo.

My arms fell to my side, my jacket and my bag in each arm. He was leaning against his car, ready for school. He had on black slacks, a white button up shirt, his tie hanging loosely, and a black uniform jacket. Man, he looked good, even in the plain uniform. The warmth I was beginning to be familiar with bubbled over and my smile grew slowly at the sight. He was waiting for _me._

"Morning, Bella. I figured you'd want a ride." He smiled brightly, glancing over at Benny and his car. "Even though you clearly don't need one."

"I guess I won't need you today, Benny. Thank you, though." I smiled at Benny and walked to Edward. I approached him and said, "Thank you." It was nerve wracking though; why did he feel the need to give me a ride to school? I appreciated it all the same.

"You're very welcome," he said, opening the passenger door for me. I stepped in and he closed the door behind me. Inside the car it was warm, the heater was on and the radio was turned on at a low volume. I watched him as he walked around the front of the car, opened the door, and got in.

The air outside was chilly with the new morning and the sun was slowly rising in the sky. Edward started the car and we drove off, zooming through my driveway and the tree-lined streets.

"So are you excited for today?" he suddenly asked me, breaking the silence.

"I don't know yet, actually," I answered. Obviously his presence intimidated me. Once again, I didn't have an appropriate response to something he said to me, still stunned to the fact he was talking to me at all.

The silence between us wasn't as awkward as I expected it to be. It felt right, almost natural. Why was I getting these sorts of vibes from him? I noticed that every time I was around Edward, the dull ache in my chest would disappear completely, like it was never there in the first place.

After another couple of silent minutes, we pulled into the school. The building was large and stony. It seemed very institutional and looked like the types of schools you saw on the cover of private or boarding school brochures. On the grassy lawn stood a sign that read, "Forks Preparatory School, Home of the Mighty Spartans." The sides of the walls were covered in ivy, reaching the tips of the building and hugging the sides. There were large oak trees surrounding the outside tables and buildings, adding to the mystery of the school. I expected to see people lying on blankets on the large, open lawn, boys running around with a football or two.

We went through the large front gates onto the campus and to a parking lot that housed various expensive cars. Once we pulled into a spot near the entrance, I stepped out and looked up into the school. I heard Edward get out and walk around towards me. He stopped just beside me and said,

"Hey, how about we don't mention our little problem with the visions, okay? Not even to the others. We'll keep it between me and you."

"Wasn't planning on it," I said, relieved. Since being the new girl on the block was already stressful, I didn't want everyone else to know I was going through something else, especially when it concerned something as strange as my situation with Edward. It was just too weird.

"Alright. You ready?" he asked.

"No." My stomach was full of fluttering butterflies.

"Okay." He laughed and grabbed my bag from my hand and started walking to the door. I quickly followed after him, not wanting to be left alone. There were students milling about the cars and sitting on benches across the lawn, the majority of them staring at me, the new girl.

We entered the building and walked to the building marked, "Main Office" directly to the right of the main entrance. Edward hung back as I approached the secretary behind the front desk. Sitting along the wall in chairs were two boys, about fifteen or so, staring at me. Freshmen, by the looks of it. When they saw me looking, they quickly averted their gaze and I heard Edward chuckle. He sat next to one of them and started whispering to both.

I cleared my throat and the secretary looked up at me behind her mountain of paperwork. Her red, curly hair clashed with the pink blouse she wore with black slacks. She wore small, red glasses with chains on the tip of her nose and had on light, pink lipstick. When she spoke, her voice was kind and unexpectedly girly.

"Hello, dear, you must be Isabella Swan. Welcome to Forks Prep, my name is Mrs. Cope."

"Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you." I smiled warmly at her, grateful for her kindness.

"I have here your schedule, your locker number, and a map of the school." She held out a few sheets of paper and smiled.

"Thank you, have a great morning." I took the papers and turned around to see Edward and the two boys looking at me, Edward with a breathtaking smile on his face.

"I'll see you gentlemen later," he said to the two boys. He rose from his seat and swept his arm towards the door, leading me out of the office. "Shall we?"

"Yep," I answered. "Let's go."

We walked out to the hallway and I glanced at Edward. He was silently laughing to himself.

"What's so funny?" I asked, curious.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that Ryan fell in love with you when you walked through the door and Dylan wants to have your babies." He laughed again and I couldn't help but join him.

"Oh, stop. You're lying," I said.

"No, I'm serious. I can go back and ask them again if you'd like." He paused, half turning back to the office.

"That's alright, I believe you." I looked down at the papers in my hand and looked at my schedule: AP Literature, AP Government, Physics Honors, Trigonometry Honors, Leadership, and two free periods. Except for the Leadership class, it was exactly like my class schedule in New York.

Edward looked at my schedule over my shoulder and said, "Same classes. May I?" He gestured towards the papers in my hands and I willingly gave them to him.

He grinned and said, "Come on, this way." He led me through the hallway, weaving in and out through the bustling students. Finally, we reached a set of lockers outside an empty classroom. Standing near them was Emmett, dressed in his uniform. Next to him was Jasper, looking into his open lockers and a Alice standing beside them.

"Here is yours, Bella," Edward told me, pointing out one of the two closed lockers where Emmett was standing.

"Thanks. Hi, Alice, I got your message," I said with a smile.

She grinned, walking over to my side, while Edward went to the locker next to mine. "I'm so happy you're here. You stick with us all day, won't you?"

"Let her breathe a little, Pixie," Emmett said, laughing at her enthusiasm. She just scowled in his direction and looped her arm with mine.

"Bella, how are ya?" Emmett asked.

"I'm fine, and yourself?"

"I'm great. I see you found your locker and everything thanks to Edward. Did you guys bump into each other or something?"

"Oh, um, no. He picked me up from the Manor."

"How nice of you, Edward," he said, turning to him. I could feel the sudden hostility between Emmett and Edward and I hoped it wasn't because of me.

"It was my pleasure," Edward said, looking back into his locker.

"I'm sure it was." Emmett retorted, under his breath with a smirk. I turned away from them faced the locker in front of me. Coming up behind them, Rosalie smacked the back of his head and said, "Leave it alone, Em. Morning, Bella."

"Hi, Rosalie," I said shyly. She still immensely intimidated me. She seemed much like her mother and I hoped that just like her mother, she'd warm up to me in time.

"Bell's about to ring, let's go," Jasper, interrupted. We closed our lockers and walked toward the classrooms ahead of us.

I followed Jasper and Alice through the crowded hallway, Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett behind me. Edward had given me my bag back at my locker and I now had it swung over my shoulder.

Girls passed by us, looking longingly at the boys and confused at my presence, with a small hint of anger. Oh no, I can't have this here. There was enough drama at my old school. I honestly hated being the center of any sort of unwanted attention.

"Relax," Alice said, "they don't hate you. They're just curious. They won't bite, trust me."

"I will definitely hold you to that," I told her. She laughed and we finally reached a door with a plaque that said, "Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition. Mr. Mason." Jasper held the door open for me and I entered, murmuring my "Thank you" to him and approached a short, balding man sitting behind a desk at the front of the classroom.

"Hi, I'm Isabella Swan," I said, handing him my schedule. He signed his name on the class slot and handed it back to me.

"Hello, Isabella. Welcome to AP Lit. I'm Mr. Mason. Go ahead and have a seat wherever you like."

I turned and found Alice beside me, waiting to lead me to the back of the classroom where the others sat. There weren't any desks but large, square tables. On the table behind us were Edward and Jasper. Just the thought that Edward was sitting behind me made me blush so red; my face felt like it was on fire.

I listened to the conversation the boys were having. They spoke of their cars, their families, and their plans for the weekend and other inconsequential things. On my right, Rosalie and Alice were talking about their upcoming shopping trip they had planned. Alice had already invited me along on our way to class and I accepted, thankful for the time to spend learning about my new friends. Students were still entering the room, sitting at the other empty desks. They were sitting, talking to their friends, and completely ignoring our tables.

Some boys were staring, others were whispering. Some girls were whispering and most girls were glaring. The final bell rang and everyone settled down into his or her seats.

The class went by slowly. They were in the middle of reading Shakespeare's _Hamlet._ I was issued a large, heavy anthology and a copy of the play. Next to me, Jasper was half asleep.

Finally, after a long, boring hour, the bell rang. Everyone grabbed their things and rushed out, grateful for the end of class.

"So where are we going next?" I asked to no one in particular.

"This way," Edward said. He led the way out of the room and up a set of stairs. This time, Emmett walked beside me and attached to his hand was Rosalie.

We entered a tight crowd and Emmett grabbed my elbow, protecting me from the shoving. Once we passed the horde of people, we reached a room at the end of the hallway, on it a plaque read, "Advanced Placement American Government. Ms. Johnson."

The door was opened for me again and this time, I went alone to the desk while the shrill sound of the bell sent the others to desks in the last row.

"Hello, you must be Isabella Swan. Welcome to AP Government, I'm Ms. Johnson." She held out her hand and I shook it, noticing her strong grip. "This is your book. Take a seat in front Mr. Reynolds." She pointed out a boy with blonde hair and too much gel and I walked towards him, cursing the fact that I was separated from my friends.

I picked up the government book and walked through the aisles, aware of the new set of eyes with the new set of stares. I heard some whisperings, my name included. Even in the back of the classroom, people managed to turn their faces towards me and stare.

Ms. Johnson started the class. It was unbearably boring. I wanted to step out to the restroom, but I didn't know where it was. I just sat there, listening to Ms. Johnson drone on and on about the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Finally, the bell rang for third period and we shuffled out, walking back downstairs. This time, Edward walked beside me and held my book. I only let him because he told me that our lockers were on the way to our Physics class. While the others stopped at the lockers, I went to the restroom.

While I was in the stall, I heard two girls enter, chattering away. I didn't bother listening until I heard my name.

"Her name is Isabella. She was in my last class. Did you see her?" One of them said.

"Yeah, she was in my first period," replied the other voice.

"Did she sit with the Group?"

"Of course she did. Can't you tell she's one of them?"

"I don't like her," the first girl said.

"Why, because she's gorgeous? It doesn't matter if you like her or not. Like any of them pay any attention to you? Come on, Lauren, be realistic."

"I know Edward does," the one named Lauren answered.

"Oh, please. Saying, 'hello' while he walks past you does not count."

"Oh, you'll see."

"Whatever, let's go. I don't want to be late to class." I heard the door close and I came out of my stall. The bathroom was empty. I quickly washed my hands and dried them and walked out the bathroom.

They were standing there waiting for me. It made me feel grateful, but it was unnecessary for all of them to stick around.

"You guys didn't have to wait for me," I said to them.

"We're not going to leave you behind, Bella," Edward told me. I smiled at them and we started walking in the opposite direction from the restroom.

"Oh, you should know, Edward, you have some admirers of your own. Apparently, one of the girls who just walked out, Lauren, has been dying to talk to you." Edward walked beside me as we headed to Physics.

"Oh, really?" he asked.

"Don't believe me? I can go find her and ask her if you like." I smiled coyly, using his own words against him.

"Nah, I believe you. Come on, in here." He laughed while he opened a door for me and the introduction process started again. Once we were done there, we headed to Trig and introductions and books were received, once more.

After these classes, we headed back to our lockers and I got to put my new books away. When I finished, we walked into the empty classroom, marked "Leadership" that was right next to our set of lockers.

I went in first into the empty classroom. There was only a large, round table with comfortable rolling chairs. I was confused; there wasn't a teacher present. The others took seats around the table and Edward pulled out the seat next to his so I can sit, filling in all the available chairs.

"Am I missing something here?" I finally asked them.

"Nope. This is Leadership," Emmett said. His face was relaxed, amused at his little joke. He put his arms behind his head and sat back in his chair. "Anyone care to explain to our dear Bella, here?"

"Leadership," Edward started, a lot more serious than Emmett, "is basically a class just for us. We get together everyday and talk about who we are, what are destinies are as they develop, what we're going to do, and everything in between. Kind of like a council meeting for our group, the Founders."

"Wait, what do you mean? I'm confused," I questioned. I was getting extremely frustrated with the fact that everyone I know has kept something from me. I was holding in my anger and sadness I felt in being left out, and soon, everything is going to boil over and I will explode with all my feelings. I hoped no one was around when this happened. "Does this have anything to with our—"

"Yeah, it does," he interrupted.

"Oh. Ok." I realized all this did mean something. I was thinking about the visions Edward and I shared—my dream.

"Your what?" asked Rosalie.

"Nothing," Edward answered defensively, "don't worry about it."

"This is supposed to be a place where nothing is hidden," Rosalie told him. "We tell each other everything, don't you remember, Edward? And now you're hiding something from us? I think we deserve an explanation, don't we?"

Alice nodded in agreement, yet looked as if she did not want to choose sides.

Edward looked at me then, with a questioning look in his eyes. I didn't know if I wanted him to tell them or not because I didn't know what any of this meant. I didn't want to be embarrassed, yet somewhere in me told me these were people I could—and should—trust.

"I can explain," I started. I figured I should start from the beginning. "For the past two months or so, I have been having these weird dreams." A confused look entered Edward's face and I recalled that he didn't know anything about the dreams.

"This dream, it's always the same one," I continued. "I'm usually standing in a large room, partly lit by a small window in the ceiling. The walls are stone, yet it feels warm. I see people in front of me and then another person standing right beside me. When I got here to Forks, I realized it was you guys, it was the five of you."

I avoided their gazes, staring out the window. There were people scattered throughout the lawn; lunch trays, lunch bags, books, backpacks in hand, leading their ordinary, simple lives while I was in a partly lit classroom with people I've only known for a couple of days but I feel like I've known my whole life. And oh, yeah, I dream about them, too. What a perfect situation.

"When I met Edward for the first time," I continued, oblivious to the dead silence, still staring into space, "I shook his hand and saw like a sort of memory or vision. I don't know what it was, but it was of my dream, of us together. At the party, right before we left the game room, when he helped me off the stool, I saw it again. It was only of the two of us though. Apparently, he saw it too."

I finished and let my story sink in. No one was saying anything. They just stared at Edward and I, waiting.

Edward got up and headed to a bookcase. On it, one book was on display. It was large and looked old and heavy.

"I don't know what this means, Bella. I _do_ know I've read this in here somewhere before, I just need to find it," Edward explained.

"What is that?" I asked.

"It's the Book of Shadows."

"Like in _Charmed_?" I asked. I didn't know what the television show had anything to do with the situation, but at this point, I was willing to listen to whatever they hit me with next. I needed some sort of explanation, no matter who or what it came from.

"That's actually a huge misconception. The Book of Shadows is an actual book used in the Pagan religion of Wicca. Traditionally, each coven possesses their own Book of Shadows that contains their own family or coven secrets and traditions they practice," he explained.

"Wait, by 'coven' you mean—" I questioned, surprised.

"Witches," Emmett simply stated. I let this sit in my head while he continued. "We don't have any sorts of powers now. Our parents tell us we'll develop them on our eighteenth birthday. Ever have something happen at home that is just so unexplained you ignore it because there's no reasonable explanation for it?"

I thought back to my childhood where my father would put on these magic shows for me. He'd always make things appear and disappear from his hands or mine. I would spend hours with him trying to figure out where he hid my favorite doll or how I'll march back to my room disappointed only to find it on my pillow in bed. I would always ask him how he did it and he would simply reply, "It's magic." I didn't believe him at the time, but now, it seemed as if he was always telling me the truth all those years ago.

It didn't seem plausible that those silly parlor tricks were because of a serious magic like Emmett and Edward were telling me, however. I couldn't help but be angry with my parents for hiding something like this and not telling me themselves.

"You're thinking too hard, Bella," Jasper continued. "I'm sure your parents had a legitimate reason for not telling you. Talk to them and find out." I nodded, agreeing with him, knowing there wasn't anything else I could do in the meantime. Later, however, my anger at the situation would be better aimed at my parents.

"This book," Edward said, bringing my attention back to the matter at hand, "tells us everything we have to know about ourselves and our purpose, whether it is true or not. It tells us why we are who we are, written by our ancestors. It's mainly why there is a leadership class, yet we're the only ones in it." He brought the book back to his seat and opened it, flipping though the pages.

"Leadership class," he continued, "was created by our parents so we can study the Book. You might not know, but Emmett's father is the Headmaster. This book has been handed down generation to generation and it holds the answers to all our questions."

"I need to, um, I'm going to the restroom." I got up, leaving my things behind. I walked out and searched for the Ladies' room across the hallway. All of that information seemed too weird to be true. _Witches._ I didn't even think this sort of this existed, let alone that I was part of generations of witches. I was completely overwhelmed and this discussion was an overload of information. It was just _too much._

Approaching the door, I heard a male voice call out, "Hey!" I turned, expecting one of the boys to have followed me out, but I was wrong. It was a boy, around my age, blonde, blue eyes, and a nice smile.

"You're new here, aren't you?" he asked. His smile widened as he approached me and I noticed in disgust how his eyes slowly and blatantly travelled over my body.

"Yeah, I'm Isabella Swan. You are?" I questioned, my brow raised.

"Mike, Mike Newton." He held out his hand but at that moment, I noticed Edward coming out of the Leadership classroom. Mike put his hand down, clearly because of Edward.

"Edward, dude, how's it going?" Mike said, politely.

"Hey, Mike. I see you've met Isabella," Edward said.

"Yeah, just now." He stepped away a little as Edward approached us. Did he intimidate him too? Why was everyone at this school always tiptoeing around the Families?

"Excuse me," I said as I walked into the Ladies' room. I left Edward and Mike staring after me.

I went to the sink and splashed some water on my face. Everything was just so overwhelming, especially my apparent feelings for Edward, or whatever it was.

"Bella?" I heard from outside.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. I just need to think a little."

I sat down on the small couch outside the stalls, my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands. I heard the door open and felt as Edward entered the bathroom and sat down next to me.

"You're not supposed to be in here," I said to him without lifting my head from my hands.

"So let's go back to the room before I get caught." I heard the smile in his voice and looked up at him. I swear his eyes smoldered.

"How can you be so calm about this after everything you've heard?"

"I don't really know. I guess I just trust that we'll find our answer in the Book."

"I guess so. I'm sorry," I stated, staring down to my hands.

"Don't apologize, this isn't your fault."

"I know, but if I wasn't here, you guys wouldn't have to deal with this."

"There's a reason you're here, Bella. You are one of us now. You belong here with us, you always have."

"Thank you." I touched his arm in appreciation and was thrown into another vision. Like the last one, it was just the two of us. His hand was rested on my cheek and we were leaning into each other. I knew what was next but I forced myself back to reality and quickly grabbed my hand from his arm.

"Hmm. How about we keep that one to ourselves, Bella?" he said. I couldn't tell what that underlying tone in his voice was, so I couldn't decide if this was meant negatively. Since there was more pressing matters to attend to, I chose to ignore it,

"Agreed." We walked out of the bathroom, carefully checking if the coast was clear for Edward to safely walk out of the Ladies' room. Once inside the classroom, I took my seat and watched on as Alice flipped through the Book of Shadows. No one said anything when we entered the room and I was grateful for that.

A few minutes later, the bell rang and we exited the classroom, the Book back in its place, under lock and key.

"Relax," Jasper told me. "We only worry about the things going on in Leadership class."

"That, and we're not allowed to talk about anything in public," added Edward.

"I'm fine." I told them.

"I can tell, Bella." Jasper said. "You're all tense and worried. Just chill."

"Okay, I'm cool."

* * *

As we had the next two periods free, we grabbed our things from our lockers and left together. I rode with Edward and we joined the others at a diner in town.

The diner was small and smelled of coffee and pastries. There were people from our school present along with some other locals. The tables were small and crowded around each other and the front counter. The boys grabbed a large enough able for all of us to sit together. I ordered a warm blueberry scone and a small coffee. While the others ordered their food, I started thinking about everything that was happening.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" Emmett asked. "Party at the Manor?"

"What?" I said, surprised. "It's Monday. We have homework." Everyone laughed politely. Even Rosalie cracked a smile.

"I know, I know. I was just trying to add some humor to the environment."

"Feel free to come by, though. It gets pretty boring alone at home," I said to them all. I meant it, too. It would be great if I had some company.

We finished up at the café and Edward took me home. Once we were there, he walked me to the front door with my books from the car.

"Thanks, Edward," I said to him. I took my heavy books from him and brought them over to the entrance table, careful not to let myself touch him at all.

"You're welcome. I'll see you later, Bella." And he left.

"Harvey, I'm home!" I yelled out.

"Welcome home, Bella," he replied, coming out of the living room door. "How was school?"

"It was great. Not what I expected, but great nonetheless."

"Fantastic. Dinner is at seven. Will we be having any guests?"

"I don't know yet. Where are Mom and Dad?"

"They went to New York for the week, finalizing some projects they had. They'll be back next Monday," Harvey answered.

"OK. I'm going to start some homework. I'll be in the study if you need me." I picked up my books and headed for the library.

Once I reached the couch, I dropped my books on the coffee table and threw myself on the couch, kicking off my flats. I was tired, yet I didn't know what else to feel. After finishing the majority of my assignment from school, I got comfortable on the couch and settled in for a nap. I needed a break from reality. There were too many things running through my mind. How convenient was it that my parents weren't home? This wasn't the type of conversation you have over the phone, either.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Shout outs to: csp4, Matthias Stormcrow, just4edward, cbmorefie, and MissMartha :) thank you for reviewing!**

**I'd also like to thank all of those you have favorited/followed Legacy or myself, means the world to me.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello friends! ****Here's the newest chapter, hope you enjoy :)**

**Reminders: all mistakes are mine, updates are Mondays and Fridays.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 6

"Bella…" I heard my name being called. I was confused; I didn't know where I was. For a moment, I thought I was still in my dream state, waiting to be woken up, when I realized I hadn't had my dream in the last couple of days.

"Bella, wake up." My eyes were still closed and I turned over into the couch cushions, thinking I imagined someone calling my name.

"Bella…" I turned away from the voice and retreated deeper into the soft cushions.

"Just give me a few more minutes, Harvey," I mumbled into the pillow.

"Bella, it's me."

I quickly opened my eyes and turned around, finding Edward kneeling slightly on the couch where I lay. He had an amused expression on his face.

"Edward," I said, startled. "What are you doing here?"

"You invited us, remember? Harvey told us where you were; I guess he didn't know you were asleep."

I sat upright, pulling down my rising skirt. I glanced around me and noticed Edward was staring out the window, avoiding my gaze.

"Oh, um, how long have you been here?" I asked, standing up and turning on a lamp beside the couch. Edward sat where I was laying and grabbed the pillow I was using, hugging it to his chest in such an adorable way that made me want to grab him up in a hug. It must have been my imagination playing with me, but I could have sworn he took a whiff of the pillow, making my heart all fluttery.

"We just got here," he answered.

"Where are the others?" I asked as I noticed they weren't in the room.

"Alice dragged Jasper to the mall. Something about scoping out the sales for the weekend?" Emmett answered, walking into the room with Rosalie next to him and sat next to Edward on the couch. I went over and grabbed my shoes from the floor. I noticed Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett were in jeans and a t-shirt and figured I'd get out of my uniform as well.

"I'm going to go change. Do you guys want anything to eat or drink?"

"We'll wait for you," Edward told me. "Harvey asked us to stay for dinner."

"Oh, right, dinner, at seven. What time is it?" My nap left me confused and just a little out of it.

"It's a quarter to seven." Edward answered.

"Okay, give me a few minutes." I turned and walked out the door towards to stairs. Halfway up, I heard Emmett calling my name. He came up the stairs, reaching me where I stood.

"Bella, I've decided to back off," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"I've become a little invested in you and Edward. Edward and I have been close since we were born. He's my brother. He's been alone the entire time while I've had Rosie and Jasper's had Alice. I figured with you coming here, you guys would be just like us—happy. But I think I've been getting too involved. Rosie's telling me to butt out and I guess…I guess I'll stay out of it." He looked a little ashamed of himself and I couldn't help but think he looked like a child who gets in trouble constantly.

"There isn't anything going on between us, Emmett."

"But there will be. You guys belong together—I still stand by what I feel. I just wanted you to know it'll happen without my interference."

"Okay, I guess." I didn't know what to say. Was he basically saying that something will happen between Edward and me and he was our biggest supporter? How can he honestly believe we are meant to be together when we barely know each other?

"Okay." He walked back into the library without a second glance back. I continued up to my room, and once inside, I closed the door to change.

I put my shoes in the closet and pulled off my uniform. I went to my closet and changed into a red shirt and skinny jeans. I slipped on a pair of red flats and ran my fingers through my knotted hair.

Finished, I walked back downstairs to look for Harvey. I went to the kitchen, where I found it empty except for the housekeeper.

"Mary, do you know where Harvey is?" I asked her. She shook her head and I walked back out to the library. Reaching the door, I found Harvey walking out.

"Hey, I was just looking for you," I said to him.

"I'm sorry. I was just calling everyone to dinner."

"Oh, okay. Thank you for letting them in too."

"That's what I'm here for."

He walked away from me and everyone came out of the doorway. We walked together to the dining room off the entrance hall and sat around the table where we found a large chicken, salad, mashed potatoes, and other sides.

I sat down in my usual seat and the others sat down around me. Harvey came in and served my plate while the others dug in.

"So Bella, where are your parents?" Edward asked.

"New York. They'll be back Monday," I answered.

"They leave you here by yourself?"

"Basically, yeah. Harvey's here though. I'm never alone."

"What are we doing after dinner?" Emmett asked.

"I don't know. What do you guys usually do when you're over here?" I asked.

"Anything," Edward answered. "The Manor is more entertaining than all the other houses. Back in the early days of Forks, this was the focal point of town. There were formal parties held, town meetings, anything and everything were held here. The Swan's were the richest, fanciest family. They still are, actually. We all come from Old Money. This is the biggest house on Mystic Lane."

"Where do you guys live?" I asked. I knew Edward was practically next-door, neighboring the forest surrounding Mystic Lane.

"We all live on this street. You see our houses coming in. Yours is the last, and naturally, the biggest."

"How do you guys know all these things?" I felt so left out. I was new to all of this.

"Our parents tell us stories. And we ask," Rosalie answered with a little attitude.

"Hm, maybe I should start asking for stories. Then I won't feel so left out of the loop."

"You aren't out of the loop; you're just a little behind. It's okay, we were all there." Edward said.

They laughed and we finished eating dinner. This was nice. Normal for a change, compared to my usual. I was so used to eating at home alone while my parents were out at dinner parties and charity events. I didn't resent my parents for being as absent as they usually are. I understood they were busy and didn't hold it against them.

Once we were finished, we headed to the game room where the boys started to play video games on the flat screen. I picked up my book from the coffee table and sat on the couch.

After a while, I started getting bored so I stood, whispered, "I'll be back" and walked to the glass door, opening it and walked outside. I went and sat on one of the deck chairs and watched the sun slowly set.

"Are you avoiding me?" I jumped up in surprise and blushed in embarrassment, seeing Edward behind me.

"Goodness, you scared me. I didn't even hear you come out."

"I'm sorry." He pulled up another chair to mine and sat down.

"You didn't answer my question," he said.

"Oh, um, what was it?" I said. I knew what he asked, though.

"I just wanted to know if you were intentionally avoiding me."

I thought about what he was asking me. If I said no, I'd be lying. Because, honestly, I was avoiding him, I just didn't think it was apparent. The more time I spent with him, the more I liked him. And I just wouldn't be able to handle the rejection.

"I'm taking your silence as a 'yes,'" he said. I didn't turn to look at him, but I could feel his eyes on me. I pulled my legs up onto the chair and hugged them to my chest.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was that obvious," I said to him. I honestly didn't want to have this conversation.

"You don't have to apologize. I just wish you wouldn't. I should be the one apologizing."

"Why would you?" I asked, confused.

"I think I might be, uh, how can I put this? Coming off too strong?" I looked at him then. The sun was almost at the horizon, beautiful against the backdrop of the lake.

The darkness brought out Edward's features, making him seem more handsome than he already was, his features more intense.

"I don't think you are," I told him, quietly.

"No?" he smiled.

"Nope, not at all." I got up and walked back into the house, leaving him alone outside, smiling to myself. Was he flirting with me? And was I flirting back?

I sat next to Emmett on the couch, where Edward was sitting before. When he came in, he stood behind the other couch, opposite me. He smiled shyly at me and I smiled back.

An hour later, they were gone. We exchanged phone numbers and then I was alone in the house with the memory of the moment Edward and I shared, the sharp pain in my heart aching at his absence. Was I jumping to conclusions too quickly if I assumed he liked me?

* * *

The next morning, I was determined to discover the truth about my dream and the visions I've been experiencing with Edward.

I got ready for school and put my uniform on with a pair of Converse. I grabbed my uniform blazer and my bag and walked out of my room and down the stairs. Harvey was waiting for me at the door with a glass of orange juice and some toast. Jasper and Alice were standing next to him.

"Morning Bella, you ready to go?" he asked.

"Hey, Jasper, Alice. Are you guys taking turns picking me up or something?" I laughed. They were so nice to me. I really did feel like I was part of their little "family."

"Yeah," he laughed. "We figured you would feel more comfortable letting us give you rides instead of going in a town car."

"Well, thank you, you're totally right, too. I'd beg my parents for a car, but I don't know how to drive."

"Oh, really? You can ask one of us to teach you if you like."

"I will thanks." I smiled and took a sip of juice and a bite of a piece of toast.

"Thanks, Harvey. I'll see you later." We walked out into the driveway and I spotted an expensive looking, yellow Porsche.

"Wow." My jaw literally dropped. "You drive _that_?"

"Yep, that's my baby right there." Alice laughed at the expression of shock on my face and gave me a look that clearly said, "_What can you do?"_

"How sweet." We laughed as he opened the rear door for me. I struggled a little to get in without flashing him my underwear and fastened my seatbelt. Jasper jogged around the front of the Jeep after assisting Alice in the passenger seat and we were off, zooming along the street. After clearing off the property of the Manor, we passed Edward's house next that was directly next to mine and then Emmett's house.

We slowed around another large house and Jasper said, "That's mine." I looked where he pointed and saw an equally large house. I realized that not only did we all live on the same block, but we were the only residences in that small part of town. He later pointed out Rosalie's house and Alice motioned at hers as if she were demonstrating a prize on a game show.

Once we reached the school, Jasper, Alice and I joined the others.

"Nice shoes, Bella," Rosalie said to me with a mocking smile.

"What? They're comfortable!" I glanced down at my Converse and bare legs. The weather was getting a little chillier; yet warm enough to get away with no stockings or tights. "I'm not out of uniform, am I?"

I felt a little self-conscious as a specific pair of male eyes travelled down to my legs.

"No," Edward answered with a small, crooked smile, "You're perfect."

"Oh, that was so cheesy, Edward," Alice said, as the boys laughed while I blushed.

"Shut up," Edward said, shoving her lightly, embarrassed.

I opened my locker and grabbed what I needed, smiling to myself. My blush was starting to disappear when the bell rung and I shut my locker and followed the others to class.

The day went on like the previous and I was eager to get to Leadership. When the time finally came, I put all my belongings in my locker and quickly walked into the classroom. I went to the bookcase and grabbed the Book carefully.

I sat down with it while the boys settled into their seats, turning on the lights in the room.

"Mind if I look through this?" I asked.

"That book is just as much yours as it is ours. You don't have to ask to look in it," Emmett told me.

I ran my hand over the book. The cover was black and smooth like leather. When I opened it, the inside cover was the color of pure honey, like all of our eyes, something I couldn't quite figure out yet. On the front page, the Founders' crest of the lion and vines was drawn in ink, spread across the page.

Under the crest, there was an inscription that said, _"Read this book if you are of the Foundlings. In your minds this text must stay. Share with no one."_

I flipped through the pages, trying to search for anything about dreams or visions. I read the paragraphs on the powers and found "18th birthday" in the text. It was hard to read, with only a few legible paragraphs here and there. I could tell from the text itself that many different people handwrote it. The writing styles were so similar, yet unique in their own ways.

"Question, when are your birthdays?" I asked.

"October 31st," they said in unison.

"Isn't that such a coincidence?" Jasper said. "It's really weird. When's yours?"

"Th-that's not a coincidence," I stuttered. I was in shock, speechless.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Edward questioned, looking worried. He pulled my chair towards his and took the book from my hand. "What's going on?"

"I'm turning 18 this year. On October 31st."

"No coincidence?" Jasper asked.

"No, I don't think so." My throat felt constricted. I was still shocked and a little afraid. I cleared my throat and took the book back from Edward, putting it on my lap. I was still sitting quite close to Edward. I kept my distance, however. I did not wanting to bring up another vision with his touch, even though the curiosity of what we would see next was there.

I looked back at the book and found something interesting. It said, "_A girl will be born into a Foundling, a destiny so bright. Powers invested in she will be as double as he_." I kept reading, still searching for anything about my dreams or the visions, finding more information on a girl who will be born into the Founding Families. For some reason, this person has been singled out multiple times.

That's when I found it: the paragraph that determined everything. It said, "_Dreams she will have of her partner to be. Treat them with care, importance they speak. Follow the visions; they'll be true to thee. Her mate shall be her destiny. True love finds she, immense power between._"

I closed the book, hoping no one would see the wrinkle on my forehead. We were going to develop powers on our birthday. And Edward and I were meant to be together. My intuition told me all of this was true, that I was the girl the Book spoke of. How else could these visions or dreams be explained?

I got up, pushing myself away from Edward, and put the book back in its case, closing the door. I sat back down and folded my hands on my lap.

"Did you find anything else?" Emmett asked.

"No, just the stuff about the powers." I figured I'd tell Edward about the other thing first, before the others know. "It says we'll develop our powers on our birthday. October 31st in this case."

"It has to be true, doesn't it?" Alice asked. "I mean, if it's in the Book, it's true, right?"

"I guess we'll see. It hasn't lied to us, yet," Edward said. After he said this, I didn't have any choice but to believe the Book and everything it said.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Special thanks to: MissMartha, Matthias Stormcrow, lizakimiko, csp4, cbmorefie, sujari6, 2malou, mpmellark-cullen. Thank you for reviewing!**

**Once again, thanks to all of those who have favorited/followed the story or myself. You're all awesome.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello everyone! I'm a day late, I know. I won't offer an excuse, but I do have 15 pages for you! :]**

**Reminder, no beta, my mistakes. I honestly would**** appreciate the help, however, if there are any volunteers. I think what I need most is a pre-reader. Any takers? Just PM me if you're interested!**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 7

The following month passed by smoothly. Each new day, we went to school and hung out afterwards. I was becoming closer and closer to my new friends and grateful for my new life. I finally confronted my parents about everything that was going on and while the conversation didn't go as planned, I did learn a lot about my family and myself.

When I asked my father about the information that has been kept from me, he said, "I'm sorry, Bella. We thought it was for your own good. I wasn't ready for you to be in this world."

"But how can you keep something so big like this from me? This is my _life_. This is where I was meant to be. I've missed so much," I told him.

"Bella, there are some things you don't understand—" he started.

"Then explain it to me!" I interrupted.

He sighed. "When your mother and I were younger, my parents didn't really approve of our relationship. Renee wasn't one of us. She wasn't born here, wasn't part of our initial group. Your grandfather, he was stubborn. He refused to look past my supposed indiscretion. But, Bella, I loved your mother so much. She was mine and I was hers." He looked so heartbroken. I didn't think their relationship was strained for any reason throughout their life. They seemed so solid; like everything in their lives came easily.

"Is that why we don't talk to them?" I asked. I'd met my paternal grandparents a handful of times, but I never really questioned why. They were much older in age and were very condescending towards me in the past.

"I have many regrets, Bella, and not working things out with my parents before their deaths is one of them."

"So why come back now?" I asked. "Why introduce me to this world now, when it's been hidden from me this entire time?"

"You'll be eighteen soon, honey. I was wrong to keep you away and that's something that I will have to live with. You can be angry at me all you want but at the time, I thought this was what was best for our family."

The conversation ended there and I learned to forgive them both. I couldn't really blame them in the end. I couldn't fathom having to be in that situation my father was thrust into—having to choose between his family, his legacy, and the woman he loves.

Since then, I've appreciated what I have now—the life I'm living now.

* * *

In Leadership, we studied the Book of Shadows. I constantly hoped they wouldn't find anything. I still hadn't told Edward about what I found. I can't really say _why_ I've kept it from the others, just that it was a decision I made in pure confusion. I have this shadow hanging over me, taunting me. I regret now speaking up when I first discovered it.

After school and on the weekends, we hung out together at each other's houses. It was fun; we always had things to do and I was settling into a nice routine. Rosalie finally warmed up to me. She pulled me aside one afternoon and explained to me how she felt. She told me that in some way, she felt threatened by me. Here I was, the new person in a group that has known each other since infancy. She simply didn't trust me.

I can understand where she is coming from, but we're all the best of friends now. It's interesting to find how many things you have in common with a person once you stop disliking them.

The three of us—Rosalie, Alice, and myself—spent hours together, either shopping, which was Alice's favorite, watching our favorite television shows, or just sitting around talking. I missed my old friends from New York, and I wasn't replacing them, but having new girlfriends was amazing.

With Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie, I found siblings. Being an only child, I never got to experience having other people other than my parents looking out for me. In Emmett and Jasper, I found the best big brothers. Alice and Rosalie, sisters.

Edward…Oh, Edward Cullen is slowly killing me inside. He is absolutely perfect. He makes me so happy and he doesn't even know it. I can't even look at him without blushing or turning into goo. My speech—especially around him—dwindles. I constantly sound like I'm in middle school when I speak to him.

I giggle. _I don't giggle._ Edward Cullen makes me giggle.

It was a regular Friday morning, a month after I moved to Forks. I dressed in my uniform, the stark white blouse, a black cardigan with the school crest, and the customary black school skirt and paired it with black tights and carried my black army boots to put on.

I met Edward in the kitchen and dropped my boots by the entrance. It was his turn to pick me up. Even though I told them to stop, my new family insisted they continue to do so. I desperately needed my own car. First, I needed to learn how to drive, however.

"Morning," he said to me. As each day went by, my attraction grew tenfold. I was addicted to the sound of his voice, his smell, the way he walked, and the way he looked at me. My heart and the pain in my chest ached something terrible whenever we were apart and when he was around, the pain would disappear as if it never existed. We intentionally avoided any physical contact, afraid of another vision. It was an unspoken intention, though. God knows I want him to touch me.

"Hey, you hungry?" I moved over to the fridge and opened it, grabbing a yogurt. I didn't wait for his answer and grabbed one for him too.

"Thanks," he said as I passed it to him. I found spoons and handed him one. I ate mine while I walked to the door to slip on my boots, using the wall for balance. I stumbled and nearly fell over when Edward reached out a hand to steady me.

"Oh," I breathed, as we were sucked into another vision. It was Edward and I again, as I knew it would be. Like the one from before, we were alone and standing _very_ close together. My hands were on his face, his hands placed on my back.

I couldn't see anything around us. It was just the two of us. I felt passion and love entwined into one big emotion between the two of us. Things I've never felt before but suddenly knew what they were.

This vision was longer than the others we've had. I was looking into his eyes and he was staring right back into mine. I know I didn't want him to look away. His face was so close to mine and I could think of at that moment that he should be much closer. Suddenly his hands were pulling me up against his body and his lips were on mine. Just as fast as his lips touched mine, I was snatched back into reality.

"Bella…" he breathed. He was still holding on to me. I leaned against the wall, catching my breath. He let go, moving back towards where he was sitting, and the places where he held on to me were burning with his touch.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I said to him. Unfortunately for the situation we were in, I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to kiss Edward, to feel him up against my body and enjoy the warmth I'm sure he radiates.

"It's not your fault, don't worry about it. We're, uh, we're going to be late. We should go." He grabbed his jacket from the table and walked out of the kitchen.

I finished putting my boots on and dropped the remaining yogurt in the trash. I picked up my jacket and walked towards the front door, thinking about what we both saw. There was no doubt in my mind that I enjoyed it, which ultimately made me feel guilty. Should I really be feeling this way for him?

The ride from the Manor to school was silent and for the first time, it was awkward. We didn't say a word to each other as we raced to the parking lot and walked to our lockers.

Our friends were waiting there for us and they turned as we approached. Emmett noticed my empty expression and stopped talking to the others.

"What's up with you two?" he asked.

"We'll talk in Leadership," Edward answered. I snuck a glance at his face. He looked stressed, confused, worried, and some other emotion I couldn't comprehend all wrapped up in one. His worry made _me_ worry. It was like I was in tune with all his emotions. I felt what he felt and I couldn't escape it.

Fifth period came fast. My heart beat quickly as we settled down in our seats. I felt like it could be heard in the silence of the classroom. Edward was at the bookcase, retrieving the Book. He sat beside me like he usually did yet he scooted his chair farther from me. For some reason, this hurt me deep to my bones and the pain in my chest made me flinch.

"I'm sorry," he told me. I was embarrassed as I realized he witnessed my sudden pain at his distance.

"I know," I whispered. I stared out the window waiting for him to start.

"Bella and I had another vision this morning. She almost fell and I helped steady her. We seriously need to figure this out." I felt a huge wave of relief come over me; he didn't mention what the vision was about.

But that relief suddenly disappeared when Emmett asked, "What did you see?" _Of course he'd be the one to ask. Typical Emmett._

"It's none of your business what we saw, Emmett, just that we did see something," Edward answered briskly.

I nervously looked at Emmett, not saying a word. His face was full of the frustration I'm sure he felt. Ever since our conversation at the Manor, he has "backed off." He didn't push us together anymore and I can't help but be sad about it.

He caught my eye then, and I looked back out the window, resting my head in my arms on the table.

"There has to be something in this book that can give any explanation to these visions, something that says why we're having them and why Bella had those dreams." Edward flipped open the book and started looking. At this point, I figured I would just open to the page where I knew our answer was.

I pulled up to Edward and his body tensed as I came closer. I opened to the page I was looking for, trying to ignore the tension between us. It was easy to find what I was looking for; I usually made a point to avoid it at all costs.

"Read that page," I told him. I backed off again, worried about what he was going to think. Would he be mad that I kept this from them all? I stood up and walked to the window. I saw a bunch of people outside in their jackets with their lunches. Even though this was a sticky situation, I was still glad I was part of the group. I was one of them, since the beginning and no matter what I'd still be part of them, a family.

I walked back to the table and saw that Alice was reading the page. I couldn't look at Edward yet, but I could feel the heat of his gaze on me. I couldn't tell what he was feeling either, which is surprising, since I usually could. It was like his feelings were a part of mine; I could feel his emotions like they were my own and I knew he could feel mine as well.

After Alice finished reading the page, she passed it to Jasper who automatically started reading, probably eager to be clued in with the rest of us. Once he was finished, the book was passed to Rosalie and then back to me. I reread the page, waiting for someone to say something.

"Question," Emmett said, breaking the uncomfortable silence, "did you already know about this, Bella?"

"I saw it, yes. I didn't say anything because my dreams stopped and we weren't having any more visions. It was a moot point by then." I stared at my hands as I said this, afraid of what they were thinking.

"You should have told me," Edward said. I couldn't tell if he was angry with me or not, but the tone of his voice held such disappointment.

"I know." I didn't want to cry in front of him. I stood up and walked out of the door and to the bathroom before they could say anything else. I locked the door behind me so no one could come in. Tears were falling softly down my face as I grabbed some paper from the dispenser and splashed my face with cold water. I felt ashamed and somehow defeated. They were going to hate me. I knew I should not have kept it from them, but I wasn't ready to share this information.

I pulled out my phone to make a call. There was one place I wanted to be at that moment and that was home.

"Benny? Can you come get me? Alright, thank you." I hung up the phone and unlocked the doors. I walked out into the empty hallway. The bell hadn't rung yet; everyone was either in class or out at lunch.

I walked quickly out the main entrance. I was empty handed and cold; I left my bag and my jacket in the Leadership classroom.

Benny pulled up after a few minutes and he got out, opening the door for me. Climbing in, I heard someone calling my name.

"Isabella! Wait!" It was Edward. He was running out of the door towards the car.

"Go, Benny," I said.

"Yes, miss." And he drove away.

I felt horrible, but I couldn't face him. I just couldn't. My heart couldn't and wouldn't take it. The pain in my chest felt worse than before.

When I got home, I walked in and went up to my room. It was only three in the afternoon, but I changed into my oldest and most comfortable oversized t-shirt and climbed in bed. After settling into my bed, I couldn't contain the sobs that were begging to be released any longer.

After a while, I heard some noise downstairs. Harvey was yelling, which was strange since I've hardly ever heard him raise his voice. Since my door was closed, I couldn't really make out what he was saying. I didn't get up though. I didn't really care enough. But I was curious. Who could Harvey be yelling at? My parents were at work; there was no one else in the house.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, towards my bedroom. I pulled the comforter over my head, just in case Harvey decided to come in. I wasn't really interested in talking to anyone.

My door opened quietly. I didn't turn to the sound, hoping he would get the hint and leave.

"Bella?" My heart stopped. It was Edward.

No, I didn't want him to see me like this. My face was streaked with tears. I couldn't help it. Could he feel my sadness? As much as I needed him with me to quell the constant pain in my chest when I'm away form him, I didn't want him there. I didn't want him to see me so broken. I didn't want to see the anger or the disappointment because of me in his eyes.

"Bella," he said again, "I know you're awake." He came closer to my bed and I felt him sit beside me. I curled up into a ball under the comforter, away from him.

"Isabella, please." He pulled the comforter off of me, softly. He was facing my back, so he couldn't see my face.

"What?" I said to him, my voice echoing my tears. I didn't want to have this conversation. It was sad and especially embarrassing.

"Can we talk, please?" he said. I turned toward him, finally, and sat up in bed, pulling the comforter with me. At this point, I didn't care that my face was probably all blotchy from crying, my nose was runny, or that my eyes were probably red.

"Look," I started, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I came here and I screwed up everything for all of you. I'm sorry. I really am. You don't have to say anything, I know—"

"Bella!" he interrupted me. He yelled, but he wasn't angry.

"What?" I said, confused.

"Would you shut up for a minute and let me speak?" I didn't say anything, just looked at him, waiting for his reply.

"Bella, I'm not mad at you," he said, softly. "None of us are. You just should have told us about it when you found it. But we understand. _I_ understand. Stop blaming yourself for everything. None of this is your fault. If anything, we should be lucky you're here with us." He paused and looked away from me, down to his hands.

I felt a nervous vibe emanating from him and it made me nervous too. I didn't know whether to be relieved or scared of what he was about to say.

"Look, I know we've been going through this together," he continued. "But I've kept the part from everyone where I had the same dreams you had, except they were all about _you_. When you came here, I just expected to accept you like one of us. But then I saw you and I knew I could never treat you like one of the others."

"Why?" I felt so hurt by what he was saying.

"Because I could never imagine feeling the way I feel about you with any of them." His face was so serious I didn't have a choice but to believe him.

Whoa. Did he really just admit to having feelings for me? Relief and a strange emotion entered my body, making me feel relaxed and excited.

"So, when you told us about the dreams you were having," Edward went on, "I was shocked, especially at myself. I don't know why I couldn't bring myself to tell everyone my dreams when you courageously told practically strangers yours."

He kept twisting his hands together, staring at them while he spoke. At each word, my heart swelled for this boy I've only known for a little and whom I've known all my life, if that made any sense.

He cleared his throat and went on.

"This past month with you here was both amazing and torturous. I never came near you, afraid of these visions. I avoided getting closer to you, distancing myself and allowing you to slip away from me and I _hated_ it." He stopped, lost for words.

"You're wrong," I said to him.

"What?" He glanced up at me, waiting for me to answer.

"You're wrong. I never slipped away from you. I've waited knowing what I knew, for you to make some sort of move, to prove what the book said. I never showed you guys because I figured it was a lie, that it wasn't true at all. I noticed when you never sat by me at lunch, how you avoided being even two feet next to me. It hurt to think you didn't care, because I do. I _really_ do. At first, I didn't know why, but these feelings are strong. And I don't know what to do, Edward." I could hear the desperation in my voice, my feelings being bared for him to see. By now, my tears were falling again.

"You're my mate, Isabella," he said simply, wiping my tears from my face.

"Mate?" I asked, confused.

"You're _mine._"

He looked away and hid his face in his hands. I couldn't help it, but another tear escaped my eyes. I let it fall down my face, not caring anymore. When he spoke, his voice was muffled.

"Is it bad that I really want to kiss you right now? Would we see anything?" he asked.

"Does it matter anymore?" I whispered to him, my heart pounding. He looked up at me as I said this. He leaned towards me, the sad expression gone from his face.

"I guess it doesn't." And he kissed me. We didn't get any visions. We were there, in the moment. It was better than any vision I've ever had, and it made my feelings for him stronger and my heart swell with happiness.

He held my face with his hands and gently stroked his thumb against my cheek. My fingers wound through his hair and I pressed his face closer to mine.

I pulled away, slightly out of breath, and pulled him to me, wrapping my arms around him, tucking my face into his neck. I was happy and I felt his happiness too.

"So, what now?" Edward asked, pulling out of my embrace to look at my face. I dropped my arms and looked up at him. He picked up my hand and played with my fingers.

"I don't know, you tell me. Where are the others?"

"Downstairs. We all came together, but I was sent up. I have to admit, I was terrified as I walked up the stairs," he laughed.

"Okay, well, I'll meet you downstairs. Can we not tell them about us yet?" I stood up, standing in my oversized t-shirt. I tried pulling my shirt down and ran my fingers through my tangled hair.

Edward nodded and stood to approach me. He held out his hand and touched my face, making me stop.

"You are truly beautiful, Isabella Swan," he said to me. I held his hand and said,

"You're not so bad yourself, Edward," I smiled and he laughed with a wide grin.

"I'm hoping there is an 'us' though," he said, hesitating.

"Sounds like a great idea."

"Okay," he smiled wider.

"Okay." I smiled too.

He let go of my hand after a slight squeeze and a chaste kiss on my cheek and walked out of my room, giving me some time to put some proper clothes on.

I grabbed my favorite pair of jeans and threw on a black long-sleeved shirt. I found an old pair of slippers and put them on as I walked of out my door.

As I walked down the stairs, I felt nervous again. Everything was great, perfect even, with Edward now, but what about the others? Would they hate me?

I went to the kitchen and asked Mary for some sandwiches for us, considering we skipped out on lunch. Once she said yes, I walked to the game room; sure everyone would be there.

I was right. I opened the door to find them all around the television, watching the latest recaps of sports.

I sat down next to Emmett on the couch and they finally noticed me.

"I'm sorry, you guys," I said, my heart in my throat.

"Don't be sorry, Bella." Emmett told me. "We get it."

"Yeah," Jasper said, "we understand." They were smiling; I was clearly forgiven.

"Thank you, I mean it." I told them.

"Actually," Rosalie said, "I am mad." Oh no. "Only because you kept it from us. We would have helped figure this out with you, Bella."

"I know, Rose," I started. "But you have to understand. At the time, I didn't know you guys like I know you now. How as I supposed to know how you'd react?"

"You're right, Bella," Alice said beside me, taking my hand. "But just promise us that you won't keep something like this from us again. We'll always be here for you. We're your family."

"I promise," I said, tearfully.

"We did some more research from the Book," Jasper stated, after I wiped my face and was smothered in hugs. "Turns out those dreams and the visions and all that good stuff basically pointed out to you guys that you're each other's mates. Did your chest ever hurt?"

"Yes, actually," I said, interested in finding out what it was about. "When I'm alone and, um, when I'd think about you." I faced Edward, my face burning in embarrassment.

He held his hand out for mine and I timidly placed my small hand in his large one, feeling his thumb rake over my knuckles.

"I did, too." I looked in his eyes, surprised. "But it went away when I was with you."

"Yeah," Jasper continued. "I've been through that Edward."

"With Alice?" he asked.

"Yeah," he answered. "It still happens. It'll get stronger, unfortunately, as the two of you get closer. We need our other halves." Alice dropped into his lap and gave him a wide smile.

"You felt this way too, Emmett?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, I did. I do." He smiled at Rosalie.

"What about the visions?" I asked.

"Nope," Alice stated, "that's just you two weirdos." She smirked. "None of us have ever experienced that before."

Our conversation was interrupted when Mary came in with the sandwiches for lunch.

"Thank you, Mary," we said in unison.

We laughed as Mary put the tray down on the table and walked out of the room, returning with a full tray of lemonade.

"Thanks, Mary," I said. They dug in, hungrily. I grabbed a sandwich before they all disappeared and settled back into the couch to watch the sports caster talk about the winning baseball teams.

I was happy. My secret was out and nobody hated me. Edward and I were technically soul mates and I was pretty sure I was falling for him, and fast.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: lizakimiko, Matthias Stormcrow, shortstuff628, MissMartha, cbmorefie, TwiSam1989, sujari6, and csp4!**

**I really appreciate all your reviews. Knowing people are enjoying my story makes me so happy.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hiiiiii friends! Here's Chapter 8 for your viewing pleasure :)**

**Reminder, no beta. My mistakes. Any volunteers for pre-readers? PM me if interested. **

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 8

Days followed and Edward and I were getting closer. He picked me up from the Manor every morning for school, greeting me with a smile. He dropped me off in the afternoons and came back with the others. When they left, he always left with a kiss. Every night, I anticipated that kiss, and every night, it was better than the night before. We'd spend hours talking, learning everything about each other and more. I savored every moment we shared and it brought us even closer.

In school, he'd walk beside me, while Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice would walk in front of us. As we walked, sometimes Edward would catch my fingers, holding them lightly against his. We'd share secret smiles throughout the day that would make my heart flutter happily. It was like magic. Every time he touched me, instead of seeing a vision, I would get a feeling of electricity coursing through his hand to mine.

The others picked up on our behavior and after a while, let us be. Once in a while, Emmett would tease us a little, offering a "finally," when he first witnessed our signs of affection, but we've all gotten accustomed to it. They had a certain understanding that Edward would pick me up and drop me off. They knew to let us walk together in the hallways, to ignore us when we had our moments. They also knew to leave a few minutes before him in the evenings. And I appreciated it. I didn't necessarily need or want an audience.

I told my mother about our relationship and it wasn't surprising when my father invited him to dinner on a Saturday night. He saw him at that moment, not as a son of one of the Founders, but one who was trying to steal his daughter away from him, as he told me afterwards. My father loved him though, so he eventually approved. But I do know that lately, Harvey has been keeping a watchful eye on us when we're together, something I'm sure my father put him up to.

We were on our way to the diner we eat at every lunch and I was, like usual, riding with Edward in his Volvo.

"So," I told him, "today in the bathroom, Lauren asked me if we were dating." I usually gave Edward control our physical contact, but I took matters into my own hands and rested my hand on his on the stick shift. He didn't let go of the stick shift but he grabbed my hand regardless. He stroked my hand with his thumb and I felt the shock of electricity where he touched. Lately, Lauren had been a problem for me. She constantly sneered at me, whispered to her girlfriends about me in my presence, and just all around annoyed me. I was _this_ close to telling her to shove off, but in the end, I knew she wasn't worth it.

"What did you tell her?" he asked, smiling.

"I said it was none of her business." I leaned into him a kissed his cheek. He squeezed my hand and we reached the café. The rest of our group was already inside, their cars parked beside Edward's.

We got out and Edward walked around to my side.

"Does it bother you that only our families and the guys know about us?" he asked, taking my hand in his.

"No, not at all. Does it bother you?" I answered.

"Nope." He kissed me, surprising me. We usually didn't show any affection outside of my house, never in public, a fact that I was kind of confused about, but at the same time, I savored our quiet moments. He pulled back and held me tightly against his car, his hands on my waist and my arms wrapped around his shoulders, lightly stroking the soft, bronze hairs on his neck.

"We're not alone," I told him, noticing people from our school and adults out to lunch.

"And?" he joked.

"And nothing," I laughed. He stepped forward, gave me another breath taking kiss, grabbed my hand and we walked into the diner to our group.

"Did you guys order yet?" Edward asked, holding out a chair for me to sit. He sat next to me and draped his arm over my chair.

"Yeah," Alice replied. "We got you guys your usuals."

"Thanks, Alice," I told her with a smile.

"So, I guess you guys are officially out in the open?" Jasper asked.

"More or less," Edward told him, grabbing my hand under the table with his free hand. I smiled at them. They were my family and I was happy.

"Do you guy realize what today is?" Emmett asked.

"Um, Friday?" I answered, confused. What was so special about today?

"October 24th," Emmett replied. "Our birthday is coming up. Our 18th birthday." With everything going on between me and Edward, I forgot about our upcoming birthdays and the issue with the "powers" we were supposed to acquire.

"What are we going to do?" I asked.

"Well…."Edward started, but he didn't continue. At the moment, the waitress approached our table, handing us our food.

"Here you go," she said, politely.

"Thank you," we said together. She walked away, freaked out like most people were when we spoke together. We were all together so much; we picked up on each other's habits and tended to repeat them.

"I've asked my parents, but they refuse to tell me anything concerning this," he hesitated, "this issue."

"Yeah, I've asked my dad," I told him, "but all he says is that we'll find out soon enough. They're purposely not telling us anything."

"I agree," Rosalie said. "My parents, when I ask them, tell me to wait for when it happens and then they change the subject. But what are we supposed to be waiting for?"

I picked up my fork and picked at my fruit. I scooped up a piece of apple and put it into my mouth. I chewed it slowly, contemplating the issue at hand.

"We've checked the book," Emmett started, "and nothing. We ask our parents, and nothing. The only thing left to do is just wait until the 31st."

"I guess so," Jasper said. "So, question, what are we going to do for our birthday?"

"Let's throw a party," I suggested.

"That's a great idea! We can invite the whole school," Alice said, slightly bouncing in her seat. "We can get it catered and OH! we can decorate the whole house and get a DJ and—."

"Alice! Calm down, sweetie." I laughed. "Let's do it at my house," I said, excited. "I can meet more people!"

"We _have _kept you to ourselves, haven't we?" Edward said, squeezing my hand.

"I don't mind," I said smiling at him.

"Not at the table, kids," Emmett joked. We laughed and I let go of his hand.

"Anyway," Emmett continued. "Let's do it. Are you sure you're parents would be okay with it, Bella?"

"Oh, yeah, we used to throw a bunch of parties back in New York. They'll like that," I explained.

"Well, ask anyway and let us know. We don't want your parents hating us," Jasper told me.

"They could never hate you guys," I joked.

"Hey, you never know," Rosalie added.

We finished our lunch and headed out. We went to my house and Edward held my hand again in the car. It was nice; it felt wonderful. It was amazing how much I felt for Edward and how quickly my feelings for him grew every day that we were together.

When we arrived, we went straight to the game room to watch the flat screen. I was still in my uniform: skirt, black light sweater with the school logo. I wore stockings with a pair of flats and it was just warm enough to go without a jacket, strangely enough.

Once we were in the game room, I grabbed a blanket from the closet and a book left behind and sat down on the couch. The boys set up the _Wii_ and played what looked like tennis with Rosalie and Alice. I was surprised to see how much better the girls were compared to Emmett and Jasper. Edward came and sat down next to me, pulling me towards him. I kicked off my flats and snuggled against him; aware that this was the most physical contact we've had in one day.

I heard the front door open and shut out in the entrance hall over the noise of the game. It had to be my parents. I put my book down and detached myself from Edward. He got the point and shuffled down the couch away from me. My parents knew about us, but they didn't need to know any specifics.

The door opened, suddenly. The game was paused and we greeted my parents. It was a typical day. They were used to seeing us hanging out here; it wasn't anything they haven't seen before.

"Hey kids," my father said. "How are we today?"

They replied with a sense of formality. I knew they wanted me to ask about the party now and they were on their best behavior.

"Daddy," I said to him, "I've missed you."

"Oh no, you called me 'Daddy.' How much money do you need?"

Everyone laughed.

"Ha, ha, very funny. Dad, our birthday is next week."

"Yes, baby. Friday, we know."

"Would you mind greatly if we had a party to celebrate our coming of age?"

"No, I don't mind at all, honey, but Isabella, you know the rules."

"Yes, Dad. No drinking, no drugs, no trashing the house," I said, ticking them off on my fingers.

"And?" he prompted.

"And no boys in my room," I said, finally. I felt my face heat up and the guys all laughed.

"Don't worry, sir," Edward told him, "I'll make sure Bella keeps all the boys out of her room." Everyone laughed again. I'm glad they thought my embarrassment was amusing.

"Honey," my mother started, "your skirt is so short, pull it down." She came over to me, trying to measure up my skirt.

"Mom, seriously?"

"What?" she said, oblivious.

"There's nothing wrong with my skirt." She sure knew how to make matters worse.

"Let's go, honey," My father said to her. He grabbed her hand and led her to the door.

"Isabella, you seriously need to get that hair cut," she continued, "and maybe pass a brush or two through it."

"Okay, fine," she said after some goading from my father. "Have fun, kids." They walked out of the room, leaving me to endure the remaining laughter.

"Don't laugh!" I said, laughing in spite of it all. "She's always pointing out my faults." I sat down beside Edward again, getting comfortable against him.

"You're perfect," Edward said to me, kissing my forehead.

"Ugh, you guys are so gross." Jasper said, while Alice pretended to swoon.

We laughed and went back to what we were doing before my parents intruded.

When they left, Edward and I lingered outside the front door. He had his arms around my waist and mine were settled around his neck again. He kissed me lightly a few times and I pulled myself closer to him. He rested his forehead against mine.

"You smell good," he told me.

"Hmm," I murmured.

"I have to go," he said, pulling me closer to him.

"I know." He kissed me again, not as soft as before, lasting longer. He pulled back and unhooked himself from my arms. I let him, unwillingly. I was really enjoying my time with him.

"Goodnight, Bella," he said.

"Goodnight, Edward."

He smiled and got into his car. I leaned against the front door while he drove out of the driveway and through the gates.

I went back inside and headed to my room, feeling elated.

I showered and got ready for bed. Once I was tucked in, ready to shut my eyes, there was a knock at my door.

"Come in," I said.

My father entered, dressed in his nightclothes, ready for bed. He came and sat down beside me on my bed.

"Honey, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure, Dad. What's up?"

"It's about the party on Friday," he said.

"Oh no, did you change your mind?"

"No, the party's still on. It's just that you kids need to meet us at a certain time, no outsiders."

"What do you mean?" I was so confused.

"There's the, uh, ceremony that has to be preformed before midnight on Friday."

"A ceremony?" I asked.

"That's all I'm saying for now, Bella." He stood and went to the door.

"Goodnight, Isabella," he said before closing the door.

"Goodnight, Daddy." That was strange. I rolled over and fell asleep.

What could he be talking about, a ceremony? Does this have anything to do with what he's hiding and about our powers we'll get on our birthday?

* * *

I woke up to Harvey's voice, yelling at me to wake. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table. It was almost nine.

I brushed my teeth and changed out of my oversized t-shirt. My hair was disheveled so I passed a brush through it for once, thinking of my mother. She would approve. I grabbed my jeans and threw on a white t-shirt and my Converse.

I went downstairs and to the kitchen where I found Harvey.

"Morning, Harv," I said.

"Good morning, Isabella. Mary made you some waffles. They're on the table."

"Thanks." I went to the table and grabbed a few waffles from the plate.

"Are your friends coming over today?" Harvey asked.

"I don't know, I haven't spoken to any of them since last night." I poured some syrup over the waffles and cut up small pieces with my fork.

"I heard about the party. Make me a list and I'll get everything you need."

"I will, thank you. I'm excited. Maybe I'll make some new friends. I don't think people at school like me."

"I'm sure they do, you've just been preoccupied." He finished cleaning up the kitchen and walked out, leaving me to finish my breakfast. Once I was finished, I washed my plate in the sink and my phone went off.

It was Edward.

"Hey," I said in the phone, missing his presence.

"Morning, beautiful," he answered. "You want to go swimming?"

"Swimming? It's October."

"Emmett's got an indoor pool."

"Oh, alright then," I answered.

"Great, come open the door."

I walked to the entrance hall and opened the door, finding Edward standing outside, and the phone to his ear. I hung up my phone and he hung up his too.

"Hey," I said to him, smiling. "Come in."

He walked in and picked up my hand, kissing my palm.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

"Nah, I'm good, thank you," he answered.

I shut the door and we went up to my room, hand in hand. Once inside, Edward let go of my hand and lay down on my unmade bed. At that moment, I couldn't help but feel such happiness, excitement, and love.

We haven't used the "L" word yet, but it was apparent. It was obvious in the way we looked at each other. Obvious to us and, apparently, to everyone around us.

"You weren't going to take 'no' for an answer, were you?" I asked, jokingly.

"Nope," he said, smirking. "I really wasn't."

I went to my closet and dug around for my bathing suit. I didn't think I'd need it here in this type of weather. Forks doesn't really scream swimwear. I grabbed a bag, stuffing my suit and a towel in it. I headed back into my room and grabbed the book from my bedside table.

"Done," I said to Edward, who was staring up into the ceiling,

He didn't get up, though. I put my bag down on the floor and joined him on my bed, resting my head on his broad chest. He put his arm around me and we lay there for a few minutes together.

"Hey, Bella?" he finally said.

"Yeah?" I answered. I felt his pulse speed up through my hand on his chest and I felt how nervous he was.

"What's wrong, Edward?" I pulled myself up a little to see his face. I was getting worried. What could be so bad that he couldn't tell me?

"Nothing, never mind," he said.

"No, wait. Talk to me." I looked up into his face. He wasn't looking back, but staring up into the ceiling, still.

"Edward," I said, "you can tell me anything, everything. You shouldn't ever think that you couldn't."

"It's not that, Bella. I know I can trust you. It's just that….'

"Go on."

"I, uh, I—"

"Yes?"

"I, I love you." His face was serious. This was the first time we've both heard it said aloud.

I reached up and touched his face.

"I love you, too, Edward."

He finally looked at me and a smile spread across his face. His free hand found its way to my face and he lifted my chin up and kissed me. I kissed him back, relishing in the moment.

"Really?" he questioned.

"Yes, really." I smiled at him and kissed him again, running my hands through his hair.

"Okay," Edward said after a while. "The others are expecting us."

We got up and I grabbed my bag from the floor. I slipped my shoes back on and followed Edward out my door and down the stairs. We walked out the door and to Edward's car and were on our way to Emmett's, two houses down.

When we arrived, I rung the doorbell and waited with Edward, holding my hand.

"Hey," I said to him while we waited.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"I love you." I smiled. I couldn't help but say it again. It felt so right to tell him how I felt.

"And I love you," he laughed.

Emmett opened the door in his swimming trunks and a tank top.

"Hey, guys, come in. We're all in the pool," he said, leading us through the large entrance hall. The foyer was large and decorated with wood. There was a large winding staircase that led to the second floor and a massive candle chandelier. The house was medieval and modern at the same time.

Emmett led us through the house, walking through hallway after hallway and finally to the indoor pool, where he jumped in and joined Jasper. It was heated, warm enough to see a light steam on the windows.

The others were already there and in the pool. The boys were racing from end to end and they were going unbelievably fast. Rosalie and Alice were sitting on the edge of the pool, egging on their significant others.

I went back into the house after saying hello and found the nearest bathroom to change in. I left my bag back at the pool and just brought my navy blue bikini and my towel. I quickly put it on and folded up my clothes. I wrapped the towel around my body to shield me from the cold.

When I reached the pool area, I dropped my clothes in my bag and settled down next to Rosalie who was still sitting on the edge, crossing my legs underneath me.

"So you aren't getting in?" Emmett asked me. I noticed everyone else but the two of us was in the pool at that point.

"Sure, in a minute," I said to him.

"Come, on, Bella." Edward said from the pool, splashing my legs with water. I tried to hide behind Rosalie, but she slipped in the pool, giggling.

"Alright, hold on," I laughed. I stood up, walking to the shallow end of the pool. I stuck my foot in, testing the water. It was warm enough to send goose bumps throughout my body.

"Just get in," Edward said, swimming closer to where I stood.

"I will," I told him. I walked around to the deeper end of the pool and dove in. When I came back up, I floated on my back and my long hair fanned around me. Someone splashed water at me, making me lose my balance in the water.

"Hey!" I said. I saw Edward laughing and I knew it was he that did the splashing.

I splashed water at him and he swam towards me, grabbing my arms before I could splash him again.

"Come here," he said, pulling me towards him. I shivered at his touch. "Having fun?"

"I am," I told him, kissing his soft, inviting lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs wrapping themselves around his waist, and smiled at him. He was mine, and I loved him. And he loved me.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW! :)**

**Thanks to: sujari6, CherryBlossoms016, tiffyboocullenjonas, ellaryne, lizakimiko, MissMartha, cbmorefie, countrycowgirl12, Twisted Puppy, csp4, TwiSam1989, just4edward!**

**See you Monday!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's Chapter 9!**

**Reminder, no beta. Any volunteers for a pre-reader? PM me if interested!**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 9

The next couple of days were spent at school and getting ready for the party on Friday. Apart from homework, preparations managed to fill up everyone's time after school. Invitations were handed out by Wednesday and food, decorations, music, and everything else needed were settled. Alice was a genius at planning parties.

The day of the party came and we were all excited. Some of the people invited were excited for the party itself; the costumes, the music, all of it. But everyone was more excited to finally be invited inside a Founders' house. Especially the Manor.

Everyone was getting ready at the Manor. Our parents were also present, having a small celebration of their own in the library. The ceremony we knew nothing about was to be held in there also, at 11:50 PM, before midnight, just like we were told.

I was in my room with my friends, laying down and sitting on my bed, talking about how excited and nervous we were about the party. My dress was hung on the closet door. It was black, like we all planned. It was very simple: black, plain, and with a circle skirt, short enough to get away with. Below the dress was a new pair of high, black pumps my mother got me for my birthday.

The rest were all wearing black too. Even though it was a costume party, we wanted to look nice. We were pairing our outfits with simple black masks with small intricate diamonds and lace for the ladies around the edges.

My Edward was easily recognizable by his bronze hair. We were practically attuned to each other. We gravitated towards each other when we were apart. I knew when he was close, when he was thinking of me. Our relationship was stronger because of it.

I was propped up against the headboard next to Jasper, Edward's head on my lap, when the door opened and my father walked in. Alice and Rosalie were getting ready in my spacious bathroom.

"I'm going to pretend," he started, "only because it's your birthday, that I don't see any of you boys in here. Especially you, Edward." We laughed.

"Sorry, Dad. It's getting kind of crowded out there. There are a lot of people running around," I told him.

"I understand, honey, but this is just for tonight."

"Sir, yes sir," I said jokingly.

"Isabella, remember the ceremony is at 11:50 sharp, alright?"

"Yes, Dad, we won't forget."

"Alright, then. You do know the party started already, right?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered.

"So why aren't you guys down there?" he questioned.

"We're waiting for our grand entrance, Dad. We'll be down in a few. We're not even ready yet."

"So get to it, kids." He closed the door and left us to ourselves again. I checked the time on the table. It was a quarter after nine; perfect time to go down. I was really excited.

We could hear the pounding of the music vibrating through the walls and the floors. I carefully shifted Edward's head of my lap and rose up from the bed. I went to the closet door, unhooked my dress, and walked to the bathroom, where Rosalie and Alice were just finishing up with their make up.

I stripped to my underwear and slipped on my dress. It fit perfectly, hugging my curves and tucking in at all the right spots. I loved the way the circle skirt slowed around my waist and above my knees. I turned to the mirror and brushed my hair out with my fingers, smoothing out any knots and tangles. I didn't bother with any makeup, it took too much time and I didn't really care. I smeared some lip balm on my lips and walked out the door.

Out in my room, the boys were getting ready. Black was definitely our color, emphasizing our honey eyes.

I turned back to the closet and slipped on my new heels, realizing how high the shoes really were. Once we were all finished, we grabbed our masks from my desk and headed out the door.

We descended the stairs together in our regular order: Jasper and Alice, Rosalie and Emmett, Edward and I.

The party looked great. Single lights, giving each room a dark and spooky effect, lighted the rooms. There were people everywhere; dancing, standing around watching people dance, people with drinks in their hands, and people eating by the tables.

Everyone came up to us to wish us a "Happy Birthday." We split up at one point, and I was left talking to a group of girls from one of our classes, trying to mingle. After a while, I felt uncomfortable and wished Edward was standing here with me. A few moments later, I felt his hand in mine.

I heard the doorbell ring and we went to answer it together, Edward's hand still in mine. When I opened it, I was surprised to find my old best friends from New York standing on the porch.

"Tanya! Irina! What are you guys doing here?" I yelled, letting go of Edward and pulling them both into a hug.

"It's your birthday, silly," Tanya said. "Of course we'd come."

She was wearing a short, purple dress and was carrying a large, feathered mask in her hand.

"And we missed you!" Irina said. She was wearing the same dress as Tanya but in a nice green color that complimented her green eyes.

Back in New York, we were inseparable. We were always together and did everything together. Tanya was the attention-seeker, but we loved her nonetheless. Irina was the sweet one who gave Tanya a conscience.

"Happy Birthday!" they said in unison.

"Thank you, thank you, come in!" I shuffled them inside and motioned to Edward who hung back when I opened the door.

"Get our friends and meet me in the game room, please. There's no one in there. I'm going to take them up to my room and meet you there in a few," I said to him.

"Gotcha," he said, kissing my cheek. He turned and headed back into the party, weaving in and out of the horde of people.

"Come on, girls, I'll show you my room and we can talk." I grabbed their hands and pulled them up the stairs and into my room. Once we were inside, I shut the door and faced my friends with a smile.

"First of all," Tanya started, "Who was that gorgeous piece of meat and where can I get one?"

I laughed. I truly missed them.

"His name is Edward Cullen," I answered.

"And?" she prodded.

"And what?"

"It's love," Irina said with her soft voice. "I can tell."

"I'll introduce you to him and the others when we get back downstairs."

"I love your room, Isabella. It's awesome," Irina commented.

"Thanks, Ri. I've really missed you guys!" I hugged them again and walked over to my bed, sitting down and watching the girls look around.

I showed them my huge closet and my single bathroom and they commented on how much they liked it. We spent a few more minutes catching up on everything that was happening in New York and after a while, I was ready to take them to meet the others.

"Come on, follow me." I led them out of my room and down the stairs again, through the dancing people and finally to the game room. I opened the door and gestured for them to enter.

I followed close behind them and walked over to the couches where the boys were seated with their girlfriends. They stood when they saw us enter and I went to stand next to Edward.

"Guys, this is Tanya and Irina," I said, pointing them out. "They're here from New York. Girls, this is Edward, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and Alice."

They greeted each other and I offered to go get some drinks for the group. Edward came with me, holding my fingers as we walked.

"That went well," Edward said. We walked to the kitchen and started getting the drinks ready.

"Yeah, I'm glad they're here, except…." I hesitated.

"Except what?" Edward asked. He caught on too easily.

"Tanya."

"What about her? She seems nice," he said.

"Yes, that's her poison. She's _nice_. A little too nice. I know her well enough to know that she will go after you."

"No she won't, Bella." He hugged me from behind and I stopped getting the ice from the freezer.

"Edward, she's done it before. Every time I'm with someone, she always goes after him. I always forgive her because they don't really mean much to me, but if she plays her little game with you, I won't forgive her."

"Isabella, no one can take me from you. I love you and I'm not going to stop loving you."

"Thank you. And I love you too."

We finished preparing the drinks and headed back to the game room.

Back with my friends, we talked about everything I've missed from New York and Tanya gossiped about people from my old school. Everything seemed too good to be true with Tanya and Irina here enjoying ourselves.

I glanced at Edward's watch and noticed there were only five minutes until 11:50.

"Hey guys," I said to the group. "It's time to go back to the party."

We stood and headed back to where people were dancing and having fun. I was getting sort of nervous for this ceremony. I didn't know what to expect from it or why our parents were in on it.

"Tanya, Ri, enjoy the parry. We need to go find our parents," I told them.

"Kay, we'll see you later." Tanya grabbed Irina's arm and pulled her straight to the dance floor where a group of guys were standing. I didn't expect anything less from Tanya—she tends to act like a floosy at parties. Let's just say, she makes friends fast.

After we left the girls, we headed towards the library where we knew we'd find our parents.

"Just in time," my father said. "The ceremony will start very soon. Sit down."

"Dad, will you tell us what this ceremony is about?" I asked him.

"No, honey, I'm sorry, you'll see soon enough. But I love you, okay?"

"I love you too, Daddy." He kissed my forehead and retreated to the back of the room where the other parents were standing.

We sat down together on the couch facing the fire. I sat between Emmett and Edward, scared more than the others. We were all nervous, considering we didn't know what was about to happen. I held on to Edward's hand tightly, waiting for something to happen.

I looked up at Edward and found him looking right back at me. As I gazed at him, I watched as the honey in his eyes got brighter and brighter. At first, I thought I was imagining it, but I swear they were glowing.

"Isabella, what's wrong with your eyes?" Edward asked me.

"My eyes? What's wrong with _your_ eyes?" I touched his face, noticing the glows getting brighter. I looked around to Jasper and Emmett and noticed that their eyes were glowing just as brightly as Edward's.

"Dad?" I looked behind me. Our fathers were standing directly behind us, concentrating looks on their faces.

"Its okay, Isabella. Everything is fine, just relax."

That's when I felt it. It was like a rush of air that wasn't really there. Like a gust of wind coursing through my body, showing no signs of movement. I felt cold. It continued for a few more seconds and then it was over. Edward's eyes dimmed down a little to a brighter honey than before. The faint glow didn't go away though. The rush of air ceased, like it never happened.

"What just happened?" Jasper asked.

"It's over," his father answered.

"What was that?" I asked my father, who walked back around the couch. I stood and he hugged my tightly.

"We had to pass down our powers, Bella. We've had them since we were your age. Now it's your turn. Use them wisely." He and the other fathers exited the room and left us standing, lost and confused.

"What now?" Edward asked.

"Let's go party!" Emmett yelled, clapping him on the back. He and the others walked out of the room and I followed close behind. The party was still in full blast. The music was loud, the dancing was close to being out of control, and the food was almost gone. I couldn't help but still be confused about what just happened, but I assumed asking questions now wasn't going to get me anywhere.

"What time is it?" Edward asked. "Let's celebrate our last few minutes." He held my hand as we headed up the stairs and to my room.

We entered my room, closing the door behind us and he kissed me lightly, touching my face and holding me tightly.

"I have something for you," he said. He reached in his pocket and held out a small box.

"Happy birthday, Isabella," he said, holding it out.

I took it, smiling. I opened the box slowly and discovered a silver watch, tiny diamonds around the surface.

"Edward, it is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much." I kissed his cheek and held out my wrist so he could put it on me.

"Read what it says underneath." Edward said.

I flipped over the plate and found, _All my love, Edward_ written.

"I'm never taking it off," I told him. "I have something for you, too."

I walked over to my bedside table and opened the small drawer, taking out a small velvet box. I brought it over to him and he opened it quickly. He smiled as he found a silver watch much like the one he gave me with my message on the back.

"How'd that happen?" he laughed. I helped him put it on and he kissed my cheek.

"Oh, I don't know. Great minds think alike?" I said.

"I suppose they do. Thank you." He kissed me again.

"If my father catches us in here he's going to skin you alive," I told him while his lips found mine.

"He's not going to catch us doing anything at all, Bella." He kept kissing me and I reached up and put my fingers through his hair. His hands went down my back and the door opened. I quickly stepped away from Edward and he leaned back against the wall.

"Are we interrupting something?" Emmett said cheekily from the door. He entered the room with the others following behind him.

"Here you are, Isabella," Tanya said with a sly tone. "We've been looking _all_ over for you and you've been here all this time?"

"No, um, we just got here," I answered.

"No need to be defensive, babe, we believe you," Emmett said beside Rosalie, flinging his arm around Irina who was standing next to him, blushing. They came in my room and Jasper held a small cake in his hand with lighted candles.

"It's almost midnight and we haven't celebrated," Jasper said, standing next to Alice.

"Well," Edward said sarcastically, "we were just about to have our own celebration…and then you walked in." He laughed and reached for me. I playfully slapped his hand away from me and we gathered around Jasper.

"Happy birthday, you guys," I said.

"Happy birthday," they answered.

We blew the candles and laughed as I was stuck with the candle that didn't want to go out. Jasper put the cake down on my desk and we hugged each other, smiling and laughing.

The night ended wonderfully. The party was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed it as much as we did. The party ended around three in the morning and the guys stuck around until about five, helping me and the housekeepers clean up and put everything back in its place.

Tanya and Irina were staying at the Manor. They were waiting for me in my room as I said goodnight to Edward and the guys. Outside, we crowded around Edward's car and were still talking when Edward pointed out how bright my eyes still were.

"Do you think they'll stay bright like that?" I asked, touching his face.

"I don't know. I mean, I don't feel any different. Do you?"

"No, not at all," I answered.

"Hmm." He tucked me into his arm and I said goodnight to the guys as they were leaving together in Emmett's Hummer.

"I had a good time tonight," I said to Edward when they left, leaning against him, looking up into his bright eyes.

"Me too," he answered, putting a lock of my hair behind my ear. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't hurt to hear it again," I joked. He pulled my chin up and kissed me lightly.

"I love you," he said, simply.

"I love you, too." I kissed him again and backed away.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" he asked, getting in his car.

"I don't know. I don't know what Tanya and Irina's plans are. We'll see. I'll call you."

"Alright. Goodnight."

"Night." I turned around and headed back into the house and up to my room. The girls were in there, getting their things together and putting their pajamas on.

"So, Isabella," Tanya said. "Tell me about Edward. How serious are you?"

"Tanya, I can tell you all about him tomorrow. Right now, I'm beat. Screw the guest rooms," I said, "my bed is big enough for the three of us."

I changed out of my dress and into my oversized t-shirt and crawled into bed after them.

"Goodnight, ladies. I'm really glad you're here." I switched off the light on my bedside table.

"Night!" they said.

That night, I woke up feeling a sudden surge of energy coursing through my body. The candles on my table lit up brightly, the flames reaching high into the air. I stared at them and wished they'd turn off before Tanya or Irina woke to find them.

The candles quickly turned off. That's when I realized I could do things just by thinking about it.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW! :)**

**Thanks to: tiffyboocullenjonas, lizakimiko, janet8cullen, MissMartha, cbmorefie, TwiSam1989, sujari6, csp4, Matthias Stormcrow, and royalblueheiress **

**See you Friday!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone! Here's Chapter 10!**

**Reminder, all mistakes are mine.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 10

In the morning, the girls and I woke up and went down to the kitchen in our pajamas. Mary was making French toast with strawberries for us, just like we had in New York. I was thankful for the routine when the girls were over.

We ate breakfast and then headed upstairs to get dressed. We had a free day ahead of us and I was thinking about what we were going to do as we searched through my closet when the doorbell rang.

I walked out, looking to see who Harvey was letting in. I went to the stairs, leaning on the railing facing the front door.

"Harvey, who is it?" I called down.

"Isabella, baby. It's great to see you." I quickly stood up straight and faced the last person in the world I wanted to see.

James Carter, New York's biggest playboy and my ex-boyfriend.

"James, what are you doing here?" I said, startled.

"I came to visit you, love. I missed you." He walked passed Harvey and into the foyer, taking in the grand staircases.

"Who told you I was here?" I hated James. He put me through so much when we were together. I made the mistake of giving him a chance in the beginning of our junior year in High School and I've regretted it ever since. He treated me horribly and I was basically a prize he wore on his arm out in public. In private, he ignored me, never listened when I wanted to talk, and even managed to cheat on me a couple of times without my knowledge. I vowed never to speak to him again and yet, here he was.

"I got a call from Tanya, saying she was here. I thought I would grace you with my presence."

"Tanya?" Why would Tanya call him? They weren't even friends, last time I checked.

"Yes?" I heard her say behind me. "James! You came! I guess I forgot to mention that to you, Bella." She rushed down the stairs and gave James a hug and, surprising me, giving him a kiss right on his lips.

I felt my phone go off in my pocket and I quickly checked it. It was a text message from Edward.

_Is everything okay?_

I answered him, saying no, it wasn't.

_Give me two minutes._

I walked down the stairs slowly, my temper rising with each step I took. I hated Tanya for this. She knew how I felt about James. She knew what I went through in New York because of him. They belonged together. They were both selfish, attention-seeking creatures who relished in the destruction of other people.

When I reached the foot of the stairs, James approached me and gave me a one armed hug. Edward walked in the door as James let go of me, looking worried.

"Isabella." Edward's voice captured my attention away from James and Tanya as I felt my body naturally glide towards his, where I knew now I was destined to be. His presence automatically calmed my nerves and I reached for his extended hand, feeling the usual tingles of electricity flow between us and a new, stronger feeling of security and love.

"You must be the boyfriend," James said. "James Carter, the ex." He held out his hand, waiting for Edward to acknowledge him.

Being the kind and courteous guy that he is, Edward clasped his hand against James' and introduced himself.

"James, what are you really doing here?" I asked. He had to be up to something.

"It's like I said," he replied, "I'm here to visit you."

It was so awkward standing beside Edward with James there. Irina joined us after a few minutes, her eyes widening as she saw our guest. Tanya grabbed James's hand and took him to the sitting room and Irina followed, an apologetic look in her eyes.

"I don't want him here, Edward," I said, sitting on the last few steps of the stairs.

"I don't like him," he answered. "He gives off bad vibes."

"I agree."

"And you dated him?" he asked, incredulously.

"Unfortunately."

"For how long?"

"Like three months. It didn't mean anything, though."

"Its fine, you don't have to explain yourself." He came and sat down next to me on the stairs and I rested my head on his shoulder. "I've also dated girls that will never be as great as you."

"Oh, how sweet." I laughed, lightly. "How do I get rid of him? I have a feeling Tanya put him up to this. He wouldn't have come on his own. How did he even know where to find me? I never told him I left."

"I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. I'm here though, whenever you need me." He quickly squeezed my knee in comfort.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." I quickly kissed his cheek, thankful for his presence.

What was I going to do? I couldn't have James here screwing everything up. I _know_ he's up to something. He never fails to rain on my own personal parade.

"Hey, Edward," I said, picking up my head from his shoulder. "Last night, I did something weird."

"No kidding, something weird happened to me too. What'd you do?" he asked.

"I woke up because I felt weird. And then the candles in my room lit up by themselves. I didn't do anything and I wished they'd turn off before the girls woke up and they did. I don't know if it was me or not."

"I woke up too. I was hearing things, like people talking but there was no one there. I woke my dad up and he explained what was happening. I can hear thoughts, Bella. Not yours or the others. Outsiders. It was weird. Can you do it again?"

"I don't know. I haven't tried anything. Can you hear someone now?" I responded.

"Faintly. Dad said once we start using them, we'd be stronger."

"I haven't tried anything." I stared at the open door, imagining it closing. It slammed shut. I gasped in shock and amazement.

"Bella, did you do that?" Edward asked, his eyebrows rose.

"Yeah, I think I did. I just thought about it, and it did it. It's like a wall I have to push through, though."

"I wonder if anything has happened to the others," Edward said.

"Should we call?"

"No. I have a feeling they'll know we're thinking about them coming. Like how I knew you needed me."

"You're right, I was thinking about how I wished you were here."

"I wonder what the others could do. Do you think our parents would tell us if we asked?" He grabbed my hand and was playing with my fingers when Irina walked back into the foyer.

"Hey, guys. I'm sorry about the whole James thing," she said, quietly. She came and stood in front of us and I could tell by the look in her face that she was opposed to whatever Tanya had in mind and she had nothing to do with James's sudden appearance.

"It's alright, Ri," I told her. "I know this isn't your doing. Can you tell me what they're up to?"

"I can't, I don't know. She doesn't tell me anything. The one thing I can tell you is that they aren't really dating. She's jealous of you. She called him last night when you were outside and we were alone in your room."

"Oh. Um, should I be worried?"

"I don't know yet. I'm sorry, Bella."

"No, don't be sorry, this isn't your fault." I stood up and walked into the sitting room, looking for Tanya and James. Edward and Irina followed close behind.

I entered the room to find James pacing in front of Tanya while she sat in my father's chair.

"James, you need to leave," I said, defiantly. "You aren't welcome here."

"Bella, Bella, Bella. That's no way to talk to a guest," he said, stopping his pacing and coming up to me.

"James…."

"What? I told you, I'm just visiting. I know it was your birthday yesterday so I figured I'd surprise you." He held his hand out to touch my arm. I pulled away immediately.

"Isabella, relax. It'll be just like old times," Tanya said, coming up behind James.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Edward went to answer it and came back with Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie in tow.

"Wow, is this some sort of cult?" James said.

I looked at Emmett. I could tell by the way he looked back at me that he was angry.

"James, these are my friends. Guys, this is James Carter," I said, walking away from him.

"Hello, Emmett," Tanya said, flirtatiously.

"Tanya," he answered, curtly. Beside him, Rosalie threw her a disdainful look.

"I hope you don't expect to stay here, James," I said.

"Why not? I'm sure you have enough room in this mansion you've got here."

"You are _not_ staying here."

"I understand, love. I'll be out of your pretty hair in no time." He walked towards us, walked right through our group and to the front door.

"Let's go, Tanya," he said, opening the door. "We can search this hick town for some place to eat, seeing I'm not welcome here."

I felt the guys tense around me, feeling their anger bubbling as Tanya followed James out the door. She slammed the door behind her.

"So, who broke up with whom?" Edward asked.

"Oh, gross, Bella. You dated that jerk?" Alice asked. They all entered the room and sat around the coffee table, relaxing now that James was gone.

"Yeah, I was almost determined clinically insane, afterwards." I laughed. "And for the record, I broke up with him."

"So what's the plan to get rid of him?" Alice asked.

"We don't know yet," I answered. "There's something fishy about his being here."

"I have to call my mother, Bella," Irina said from the doorway. "I'll be down in a few."

She turned and went up the stairs silently. I could tell she was really shy around my new friends.

"Can she be trusted?" Emmett asked, quietly.

"Yeah, she's harmless," I told him. "She's not like Tanya at all. She's the sweetest, kindest person I know."

"Speaking of," Jasper said, "did you guys wake up early this morning and something weird happened?"

"Yes!" Edward said, excited. "Bella's candles turned on and she turned them off. I can hear thoughts."

"Yeah," I agreed. "And I closed the door."

"How's that interesting?" Alice asked.

"Because I did it with my mind, silly," I answered.

"Oh, okay then. I get it," she said. "I kind of had a vision this morning. At least, I know it was one now. I dreamed about us sitting here, talking, just like this. But I didn't think it meant anything until now."

"That's awesome," Emmett said.

"What about everyone else?" I asked.

"My dad told me I'm an empath. I can feel your emotions, even now as we speak," Jasper added. "He told me later, I'll be able to change them, manipulate emotions."

"Neither Rosie or I have anything yet," Emmett said a little forlornly. "Neither of our parents was home to ask."

"We need to figure out what we're going to do with James," Edward said.

"We'll stick around while he's here," Emmett said. "I don't like him."

"Yeah, neither do I," Jasper said.

I stood up from the edge of the couch and walked to the fireplace, looking out the window and to the yard. I didn't want to have to worry about what James was up to. I wanted to enjoy my birthday weekend with my friends. It's like he was doing this on purpose.

"My father will make him leave," I finally said. "James has always been afraid of him."

"And if he doesn't go?" Edward said, coming up behind me.

"Then we're just going to have to make him go."

"I like the sound of that," Emmett said, laughing.

"I'm guessing if he goes, Tanya and Irina go," Jasper added. "Are you okay with that?'

"Definitely."

"I'm going to go check on Irina." I walked away from the mantel, but Edward held me back.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned. "Oh! Sorry." I knew what he wanted.

I took his face in my hands and gave him a kiss, trailing my hands down to his chest. He kissed me back, holding my hands in his.

"Get a room!" someone yelled. I kissed Edward once more, chuckling against his lips, and walked back out of the room and up the stairs.

"Ri?" I called upon entering my bedroom.

"In here!" I heard her yell from the bathroom.

"So, Irina," I called out, "how are you liking Forks?"

She came out of the bathroom and sat down on my bed.

"It's kind of dreary. But I guess with friends like yours, you're not missing out on anything. How'd you meet them?"

"Friends of the family. They grew up together. We're called the Founding Families of Forks, apparently."

"Founding Families?"

"Yeah, our ancestors found this town back in the old days."

"That's actually really cool."

"Yeah, they're my family," I said with a smile.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: royalblueheiress, lizakimiko, MissMartha, ellaryne, Matthias Stormcrow, tiffyboocullenjonas, TwiSam1989, cbmorefie, csp4, MentalAslumNewbie, hira's, Pongu, and sujari6! **

**See you Monday! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Short chapter today! **

**Reminder, all mistakes are mine.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 11

We ate lunch together at our regular café. I enjoyed my time with Irina; she was so easy to get along with and I never felt like I had to pretend with her. I understood that our secret shouldn't be told to anyone. We knew that our powers weren't to be discussed with any outsiders, only with the families of the Founders.

It was hard keeping this huge secret from her, considering I usually told Irina everything. She was my best friend and I missed her. I knew I had Alice and Rosalie around, but it wasn't the same. I've been through so much with Irina and she just knew me so well and I missed her company. We grew up together and at the end of the day, she will always be my friend.

After lunch, Edward dropped us off at the local mall, where we met up with Rosalie and Alice. The four of us bonded while we walked around and shopped at stores we wouldn't find in New York. By the time I called Benny to pick us up, the sun was setting.

We didn't see James or Tanya anywhere after dropping off the girls at their houses. I assumed they'd left, but when Irina and I arrived at the Manor, I was proved wrong. James and Tanya were waiting for us in the sitting room.

"Isabella, baby," James said, standing.

"Don't call me 'baby' James," I said, disgusted. What was he even doing here?

"Come on, you know you still love me." He smirked, walking closer to me.

"Who says?"

"I do." He turned and sat back down on the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table. "I see your body guards aren't present."

"My what?" I heard what he said. Every word that came out of his mouth had me seething with anger.

"Your pack of new friends. I was just wondering what was up. What is with those freaky eyes you all have? I thought it was sexy at first—on you—but now? It's just weird."

"James, stop being an idiot." I set my bags down on the floor. What irritated me the most is that James knew he wasn't wanted here. "When are you leaving?"

"When I have felt that I've overstayed my welcome," he said, grinning mischievously.

"Well, James, that time was up as soon as you walked through the front door." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I can see you are all worked up about my being here, Bella. Don't worry; I have come with the sole purpose of taking you back to New York."

"Why would I go back to New York with you?" I asked, incredulous.

"Because you miss me. You miss us, your real family. You miss the city, the lights, the sounds, the smells. I know you do."

"I can't believe this, James. How could you be so stupid? New York is the last place I'd want to be, especially with _you_."

"Don't be like that, baby," James said, standing. He walked up to my side, putting his arm around me.

"Isabella, you know that deep inside, you don't want to be here," Tanya started. "No matter how many guys you have wrapped around your little finger." She joined James and grabbed my hand.

"This is getting out of control. You _both_ need to leave. I don't want you here in my home," I said.

"I agree." I turned around swiftly to see my father walking through the door, my mother beside him. His face was the epitome of anger. My anger was nothing compared to how my father looked. Charlie was usually very jovial, but he knew how to be intimidating when the situation called for it.

James removed his arm from around my shoulders and took a step back. He eyed Tanya with a suspicious look and I saw her stare back.

"James Carter, if you are not out of my house within the next five minutes, you will regret ever stepping on a plane and coming here." His voice was furious.

"I was just leaving, _sir,_" James said, grabbing Tanya.

"Mr. Swan, it's nice to see you again, Mrs. Swan," Tanya said, her voice shaking.

They walked out of the open front door and I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew he wouldn't leave that easily though. He'll be back. He won't go back to New York until whatever he came for was done. That was just the kind of person James was.

"Isabella, what was that vile boy doing here?" my mother asked with a disapproving tone.

"Tanya called him last night," I answered her. "I didn't invite him. Trust me; he is the _last_ person I want to see."

I felt bad for Irina, caught in the middle of Tanya's scam. Ri knew what was right and what was wrong; she just managed to mix up the two when it came to keeping up with her sister.

"You call me if he comes back." My father proceeded into the study where he would read the latest fishing magazine and my mother walked up the stairs to her office. Sometimes she would join him. It was funny; I knew exactly what my parents did when they were at home. They were usually out at functions and parties with their friends. My mother liked to dabble in many things throughout her life, but never really settled into one. She spent time as a personal shopper at a high-end store and then when she met my father, grew into a life of luxury, one my father never failed to feed. Recently, she has gotten into heading a few fundraisers and all around party planning.

My father is a lawyer. I was never interested enough to ask him what his specialty was though. I knew he dealt with the casual clients and the majority of his work was spent taking care of the Upper East Side kings and queens who preferred personal lawyers. He wasn't the type of person to turn anyone away, though. He did a lot of pro bono work when called for and offered a lot of opportunities for law students. His compassion with people was praiseworthy. I respected his work and loved the good he did. Obviously, not enough, however. I knew he secretly wished I would follow in his footsteps, but law wasn't my idea of fun.

"Bella," Irina said, interrupting my train of thought. "If she leaves, I have to go, too."

"I figured," I told her, sadly. "I knew she'd make you leave too." I didn't want her to go. Her presence here was filled with happiness that _did_ make me miss everything from New York; just not the way James described it. I missed hanging out with my best friends and going to school with them, going down to Central Park, sitting on the steps of the Met—all the things I thought were fun.

"Come on, let's go upstairs," I said. I picked up my shopping bags and we walked numbly to the stairs, taking each step together.

Once we reached my room, I dropped my bags in the corner and I went to sit on my bed as Ri grabbed her small duffle bag from my closet. She started putting her things and Tanya's into it, a sad look on her face.

"I wish you could stay, Ri," I told her.

"Me too. It's so different without you in New York. Tanya has completely taken over at school. She makes me do everything for her. It's like you were never there. I hate it." She finished putting their things away and sat beside me. "She doesn't miss you, Bella. I've heard her say numerous times that she was glad you left so now she could be 'queen.'"

"Queen?"

"Yeah. She always talked about how you always had the attention, how you overshadowed her in everything. And now that you're gone, she took your place at the top of the 'food chain' as she calls it." She smiled, laughing at her small joke.

"Does she know how ridiculous that sounds?" I laughed, thankful for the change in mood.

"She truly thinks so! I'm tired of it. She just drags me along for the ride. But I don't want to anymore, Bella." The sad look she had before came back. I pitied her. When I left New York, she was the main reason that held me back a little, never let me reach Tanya's level of insanity. Ri is a great friend. She's real. She has always been there for me. And now I feel like I've just left her behind.

"I wish you could stay here with me," I said, forlornly.

"That would be awesome," she responded, "but you know I can't. My home is in New York. Also, I know my sister is acting like a bitch, but the girl I know is somewhere there."

"I know, but—"

"Bella, this monster is what she turned into after you left—her best friend. Imagine if her sister left her."

I understood where she was coming from, but it didn't make the situation less depressing. Travelling across the country on a whim is not the way to go.

"I guess I'll just have to make the effort to visit you guys this time." I smiled, happy at the idea of going to New York. I could take Edward with me; we would enjoy it together.

"You should," Irina agreed. "But for now, it's time to go home for me." She finished putting the scattered clothes around her in her bag and we both ambled sluggishly down the stairs and to the front door, where Benny was waiting to take her to the airport. Once she knew her time was up in Forks, she quickly called her father, who in turn chartered a plane to have his daughters back in the state they belonged. Getting Tanya to the airport and away from James was a task I was glad I didn't have to complete. I felt sorry for Irina, but as that was her sister, she would have better luck than I would.

"I'm going to miss you so much, B," Irina said, enveloping me in a huge hug.

"Ugh, me too, Ri." I squeezed her back and she let go, rushing out the door.

I sighed, upset at the situation. Just because Irina said she'd take care of the Tanya problem, doesn't mean Tanya was finished. James was a whole other story.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: lizakimiko, Matthias Stormcrow, MissMartha, royalblueheiress, tiffyboocullenjonas, cbmorefie, hira's, TwiSam1989, pongu, ellaryne, sujari6, csp4, and musicalvictory123! I love reading your reviews.**

**Also, thank you to all those who have followed/favorited myself or my story. Makes me smile :)**

**See you Friday!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi friends! Welcome new readers, thanks for the follow/favorite. Hope you're enjoying my story!**

**Reminder, all mistakes are mine, but I'd like to thank roselally for looking over this chapter for me! :)**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 12

"No."

"But, Jasper…"

"Bella, we can't just tell her like that."

"But we can trust her!" We were in Jasper's den, his computer buzzing in the background, the low sound of music playing. It smelled strongly of Febreze and pizza, our lunch for the afternoon.

I wanted to tell Irina what we were but the others wouldn't let me. I knew I could trust Irina, but obviously, the others couldn't.

"How can we know that?" Jasper argued.

"It's not fair, Jasper." I snatched my arm away from his outstretched hand. I was mad. He still refused.

"Look," Jasper started, "I know you're mad, but it's for the best. Maybe later on, once we _all_ know we can trust her, we'll tell her."

"Fine." I know he was right, but it still made me angry. Why couldn't he trust the fact that _I_ trusted Irina?

"Bella," Edward grabbed my hand. I tried very hard not to resist him, too. "I know you're frustrated with this decision, but Jasper's right. We need to see first if she could be trusted. Even though we know we can take your word for it."

"I know." I don't know why I was being so stubborn. I knew that they had our best interests in mind. This need to tell Irina was completely irrational.

"Is she even coming back?" Edward asked, pulling me back on the low couch. He mussed up my hair and pulled me to his side, while the others scooted down the couch.

"Eventually she'll come visit." I sighed. "Edward…" I groaned as he tucked his head in my neck.

"What?" I felt his breath on my neck.

"I have to go home." I let go of his hand but he quickly grabbed it and hugged me tighter to him.

"Why?"

"Curfew." I turned my face to his and kissed his nose then his lips, forcing myself away from his tight grip. I got up, took my jacket that was perched on the couch, and headed to the short set of stairs. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Bye, Bella, we love you…!" Emmett teased while the others laughed. He was sitting on the computer chair, closest to the stairs. As I walked towards them, he grabbed my hand and held me back. "Are you still mad at me?" He gave me a puppy dog look while he held my hand.

"No, I know you're right." I smiled as he kissed the top of my hand and let me go. I rushed up the stairs and put on my jacket, waving goodbye to Jasper's parents who were in the room outside the den.

Once outside, I decided against calling Benny to pick me up. The walk from Jasper's house to the Manor should not be far at all. I started walking, making the gates open in front of me with my mind and closing them behind me as I walked off the property.

Through the gates, the woods encompassed the streets. It was the middle of the day; the sun was high in the sky, yet the chill that seeped through my light jacket still felt cold. It was only the beginning of November. It scared me to think how cold it would be in dead winter.

I walked past Emmett's house and Edward's, enjoying the fresh air. I hardly spent time outside because of the chilly weather, and I never walked anywhere thanks to Benny and my friends, who still offered to take me everywhere.

Reaching my house, I found moving trucks and unfamiliar cars lined up in my driveway and men moving in and out of the house carrying furniture.

I walked inside, avoiding more people walking through the door, when my phone alerted me of a new message.

_Are you home?_ Edward asked.

_Yes. Why?_ I said to him.

_ I didn't see you calling Benny._

_ I walked._ I loved the fact that he always looked out for me, but I could take care of myself.

_ I would have taken you._ I could only imagine the look on his face.

_ I know. I just wanted to walk._

_ Okay. Call me when you need me, I'll be at home._

_ I will._

In my room, I took off my jacket and set it down on my desk chair, throwing myself on top of my bed.

My mind was preoccupied, thinking about Irina and why I wanted to tell her so badly. Since our birthday, we've been getting used to our abilities. Everyday, I find an excuse to use my mind to move something and just the other day, Rosalie called me in a panic, telling me that she made her mother purposely leave her room after an argument.

She couldn't understand what happened until her mother started yelling at her through her door, telling her, "Don't you dare use those powers on me, young lady!"

After that statement, Rosalie approached her father and asked about what she was capable of doing. He explained to her that she could somehow influence others to do as she asks. After his brief explanation—which ended after another argument between Rosalie and the frosty Lillian—he warned her not to take advantage of her power and informed her that with time, her abilities would develop.

It was weird, learning these new things, but then again it felt natural, like we were born to do this. Which, technically, we were. It took a lot of getting used to and realization that we would have them for the rest of our lives until we passed them down to our own children.

Hiding my whole life from Irina was going to be difficult. I talked to her everyday. There are many times where I wanted to tell her, "You can't believe what I just did today," but I knew that wasn't possible. I'd be lying to my best friend. Still, the urge to tell her was impossibly strong for some reason.

* * *

Monday at school, people actually came up to me and made conversation. Before, I was the weird new girl that hung out with the Group. Now, I was accepted. Walking through the hallways, people greeted me together with the others. Even though reactions changed, there were still girls who resented my association with the guys. There were still girls who glared when Edward held my hand, when Jasper and I laughed, when Emmett had his arm slung over my shoulder.

Emmett's father joined us in Leadership. He brought us a book that resembled the Book of Secrets. It was unnamed, worn, and large. According to Mr. McCarty, this special book contained spells that we would learn to use, spells that would allow us to do anything we desired, now that we have inherited our powers. He warned us on how to use these spells and pointed out the system of organization the book had.

Mr. McCarty didn't stay long, allowing us to peruse through the book of spells. There were good spells, bad spells, spells that solved simple problems, spells to find people, spells that had no use at all. It was all overwhelming, in such a good way.

Looking through the book, I found a spell of trust. Underneath the spell, there was a description. It said, "Determines whether a person is trustworthy or not. If the picture burns, the person cannot be trusted." Just what we needed.

"Look, guys." I pointed out the words. "Can we use this with Irina, please?"

"I guess that could work." Emmett said over my shoulder. "I think that's my grandfather's handwriting." He laughed and went to sit back in his chair.

"I need a picture of her," I murmured. I dug through my purse next to me, knowing I had a picture of Irina and I in my wallet. Finding it, I held it out in my hand.

I turned back to the book, reading the words I was to recite.

"_Trust in me, I think you might. Trust in you would be my fight."_ As soon as I finished saying the words, the picture of Irina produced a warm glow. All of a sudden, the warm glow turned into a fiery light. The picture burst into flames in my hand and I quickly dropped it with a yelp.

"Hah! I told you so," Jasper shouted. I couldn't believe what just happened. I just didn't understand. My mind was blank of any thoughts on why or how Irina would betray my trust.

"I'm sorry, love," Edward whispered in my ear. He wrapped his ands around mine and tugged them towards his lap. Leaning forward, he kissed the side of my head.

"I…I just don't get it," I said.

Irina has never given me reason not to trust her. Throughout our friendship, she has always been there for me, always been the buffer between Tanya and I. She is the sweetest person I know.

"Should I confront her or—" I started.

"No," Rosalie interrupted. "She hasn't done anything for you to suspect her of wrongdoing. Wait until she does. Then we'll see how the situation should be handled."

"I guess you're right," I said, dejectedly. "But how am I supposed to just talk to her like I usually do and disregard the fact that I can't trust her for some reason?"

No one said anything. They didn't understand, how I was feeling or what was going through my mind.

Regardless of this new information, the need—the urge—to tell Irina what we are was still pulling at me.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: royalblueheiress, lizakimiko, MissMartha, Pongu, ellaryne, hira's, TwiSam1989, cbmorefie, Matthias Stormcrow, csp4, MarveyTibbsMcGarrettWilliams, danasilver (YAY FOR HAPPY DANCES!), musicalvictory123, and sujari6! Also, thanks to the guest reviewer; I wish I could reply to your review personally, but thank you!**

**See you on Monday!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello everyone! Here's Chapter 13 for your viewing pleasure.**

**Unfortunately, school is back in session so I'm going to be cutting back updates to once a week. :/ School takes priority. I'm an English major, you guys. That means a lot of reading and writing papers. So Monday updates only!**

******Huge thank you goes to roselally for prereading!**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 13

Alice knocked on my bathroom door, "B, are you ready yet?" Alice showed up at my house early so we could get ready for school together. She is an impatient little thing.

"Ready," I said, opening the door. We were dressed alike, both wearing black tights and flats with our uniforms. The wind was picking up lately, enough for me to be paranoid that a strong gust would make my skirt rise up and give everybody a show. Wearing tights made me feel a little more comfortable.

"Let's go then!" She followed me down the stairs, a jacket over her arm and her bag in her hand. My things were at the foot of the stairs and when we reached them, I quickly gathered them in my hands and headed out the door where Jasper and Edward were waiting for us.

As soon as she saw him, Alice jumped into Jasper's embrace and kissed his lips with a loud smack. The smile he gave her was so sweet. Usually, Jasper was quite reserved, but around Alice, he was, weirdly, giddy.

I walked over to Edward and stared up as his face, taking his hand. I had to admit, I was eager for my relationship with Edward to reach the level that Alice and Jasper—and even Emmett and Rosalie in their own way—are at. Their love was natural, easy. I loved Edward, but most times I didn't know how to express myself physically. I could tell him I loved him with all my breath, but showing him still made my stomach fill up with butterflies and my nerves go haywire.

"Hey," he said, smiling down at me.

"Hi," I kissed his cheek and turned to see Jasper opening the door for Alice. Jasper walked to the other side and got in, leaving the door open for Edward. "So we're carpooling now? We should have done this a while ago."

"Yeah," Edward said. "He called me this morning, asking me to pick him up first. I guess he knew Alice would be here."

"I can see that. Come on, we're going to be late." We walked to the car and got in, quietly.

On our way to class, I walked beside Rosalie through the hallways, saying hello to those who waved and ignoring the glares of girls. I could distinctly feel the force of the glares Lauren and Jessica sent my way. I figured their invite to our birthday party would be enough to pacify them, but I guess their hatred for me stemmed from my relationship with Edward ant not just because I was new here.

I've heard multiple whisperings since I arrived from them. Jessica was your typical follower. She had no mind of her own and it made me sad to think she allowed Lauren to play her like a puppet.

Lauren was vile. With her blonde hair, unnatural tan, and air of importance and arrogance, she felt as is she ruled the school. She was a bully. And she wanted my boyfriend, which I was sure of.

That day went by quickly. Before Leadership, Edward and I were slowly walking to the classroom, hand in hand.

"Bella," he started, "can I take you out?"

"Out where?" I said, like an idiot.

"Like on a date."

"Oh," I said. "Of course." I smiled, thinking about how he has never brought this up before. But then again, neither did I. I could have just as easily asked him to accompany me on a date. I guess it was just something I never thought of before. With our visions, our dreams of each other, I guess we jumped into this relationship pretty quickly. I didn't think of the fact that I barely knew the guy, only that he was my mate. He was the man I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with. I know him now through association and all the time we spend together, but we never really spent time _alone._

"Can we have dinner together tonight?" he asked.

"Can't wait," I beamed at him.

We spent that class period reading through the spell book, experimenting, and studying spells that would eventually come in handy.

Rosalie had some fun making Emmett forget what he was going to say as soon as he started to speak. She would redirect his line of thinking quickly before changing his thought process.

"It's like the wiring in a computer," she explained. "Let's say I disconnect one of the wires and connect it somewhere else. He'll completely forget without noticing."

"I guess that could come in handy," I told her.

"Absolutely," she smiled. "Obviously, I won't take advantage of it. Something like this can be pretty dangerous."

Emmett was oblivious. Once Rosalie stopped messing with him, he finally told us what he was trying to say. He was upset that he was the only one of us that hasn't grown into whatever power he had. When approaching his parents, they refused to tell him, explaining to him that while he should patiently wait for his power to come to him, this waiting period was like a rite of passage, something all of them went through when they were our age.

After lunch at the café, Edward dropped off the girls and I at my house to help get me ready for my date.

"I'm getting nervous," I said, looking in my closet.

There were clothes strewn over my bed, dressers were open, more clothes spewing out, and I was pacing in front of Alice and Rosalie, who were sitting on my bed, a worried look on my face.

"You'll be fine, B," Alice said, getting up and walking to my closet, taking in the mess I left behind. She rifled through my clothes still hanging quickly and grabbed a three quarter sleeved, royal blue dress and reached up to the shelf and grabbed a thin, brown belt. For shoes, she reached in quickly and grabbed a pair of brown oxford boots.

"Here," she told me. "Put this on. You'll be comfortable and cute. Stop worrying so much."

"Thanks, Alice," I sighed, relieved.

"He'll be here in ten minutes. Get dressed!" I rushed into the bathroom, taking the clothes she found for me and putting them on. I had already had a shower before the tornado of clothes reached my room, luckily. My hair was dry and straight, and Rosalie had already made up my face with more make up than I usually used.

I was really nervous for some reason. I _know_ Edward, but this was our first date. This was serious.

I opened the door to my bedroom, finding Rosalie and Alice absent from the room, and checked the time on my phone. Edward should be here soon to pick me up. We were going to the small Italian restaurant, Bella Italia, one of the few in the nearest towns that didn't have burgers and hotdogs on the menu.

"Isabella…" I turned to find James Carter sitting in my desk chair.

"James! What are you doing here?" My voice was barely above a whisper with shock.

He stood, coming up closer to me.

"What…what…" The last thing I saw was Carter's smirk as I slid down the wall, my eyes closing into darkness.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: ellaryne, Matthias Stormcrow, MissMartha, lizakimiko, BritPit, csp4, tiffyboocullenjonas, royalblueheiress, sujari6, and cbmorefie!**

**Also, thanks to all those who have followed/favorited Legacy. You're all awesome.**

**If you missed it at the top, I'm updating Mondays only from now on!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello people! Here's Chapter 14!**

**Big thanks to roselally for ****pre reading. **

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 14

I woke up in a dark, damp room. My hands were tied behind my back. My mouth was covered with a hard fabric. My eyes adjusted to the dark easily, thanks to the glow from my bright eyes. My head was killing me. I felt like there was a cloud hanging over me that I finally lifted off to wake up.

The room was small and smelled of rotting wood. There was a low wooden desk in the corner with a small matching chair. I was placed in the center of the room, in front of a low bed that looked like it belonged in a jail. In front of me was a large door without a doorknob.

Suddenly, the door opened and James walked in. "Good, you're awake, finally." He came up to me and removed the fabric from my mouth. "We won't need this anymore."

"Where am I?" My voice was raspy, my throat dry.

"No need to worry about that either." James grabbed the chair from under the desk and sat down facing me.

_Edward? _I tried reaching out to him in my mind, knowing he could probably hear me, but he didn't answered. My mind strained with the force I was using to try to get heard.

"Don't bother trying to reach your friend, my love. He won't hear you." He reached his hand out and touched my face, trailing his hand down to my collarbone, over my shoulder and down my arm. I flinched away from him, my skin crawling where he touched.

How did he know about that? Where was I? Was I too far away from Forks that he couldn't hear me? What did James want with me?

While all these questions ran through my head, James sat, staring at my face, a smile growing on his lips.

"Bella, Bella, Bella…" He pushed his chair closer to mine, our knees touching. He placed his hand on my calf, bringing it up to my thigh and leaving it there. "You should have come back to New York with me. All of this could have been avoided."

"What do you expect will happen, James, when my family realizes I'm missing?" My voice was barely above a whisper, my fear rising as he smiled.

"Nothing, they won't know. Apparently, you left them a note saying you went back to New York. You said you were tired of living in a small town, tired of the people, of your new life. You told them you wanted your old life back, your old friends." He smirked.

"They'll never believe that."

"Trust me, Isabella, they will." He gripped my knee and I tried to get away from his hand. He held on tighter, forcing me to stay within his grasp.

I tried untying the ropes that bound me to the chair, trying to use my powers to escape.

"Don't bother using your little witchy powers, Isabella. They won't work here. This room was especially designed to keep you here."

"What powers?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Bella. I know your secret. I read that book of yours, in that classroom."

"I don't know what you're talking about." How did he find out about the Book of Shadows? Was he following me? This was getting out of control. Why couldn't I use my powers? If I can't reach Edward, they'll never find me.

"Oh, but you do, honey. I know everything, including how to keep you from using these special powers of yours." He laughed silently, tapping his hand on my thigh. "All I have to do is draw this," he held out a sheet of crumpled paper from his pocket, "on the outside of a room, and voila!"

I looked at the paper, noticing a small symbol resembling our families' crest with a sword piercing through the lion. The sight of this symbol brought chills through my bones. My hands felt blue with cold, my face felt frozen.

Where did this reaction come from? I've never seen this symbol before in my life. Even with one glance, I feared it. It scared me beyond reason.

"I knew you wouldn't like it," he smirked, shoving the strip of paper back into his shirt pocket.

"What do you want with me, James?" I felt unusually tired, like if I just finished running a marathon.

"In the beginning, I wanted _you_. But now, I want your powers. And I'll do anything to get them."

"And Tanya and Irina?" I asked, curious on their part in this whole mess.

"Tanya's an idiot, Bella. I just used her to figure out where you were. And Irina? Irina's not as stupid and gullible as you might expect her to be." He smirked. "Irina has a little fascination with witchcraft, didn't you know? This was all her idea. She helped me. Learn not to trust so easily, my love."

I expected so much more from Irina. I couldn't believe she would be the one to turn her back on me and betray me like this. How did they even find out about me and the others?

He stood and walked over to the desk in the corner. He pulled out a key from his pocket and unlocked the small drawer. From inside the drawer, James pulled out the Book of Shadows. "I figured you could look through this and find a way to make this happen."

"I'm not giving you anything. Go to hell, James." I eyed the Book, afraid of what he was asking me.

"See, Bella, that's where you're wrong. You _will_ give me what I want. Or, you'll never see the outside of this room. Now," he set the Book on the chair in front of me and untied my hands. I flexed my fingers as he said, "Let me know when you find something. Don't keep me waiting, Isabella." He walked out of the room, sealing the door closed.

I felt my tears rolling silently down my cheeks. How was it that I should find myself in this situation? It was impossible to comply with what James wanted. Not only did I not know how to give up my powers to him, could I really bear to lose this significant part of my life? I couldn't think about it.

I picked up the Book of Shadows and opened it to the front. The Founders' crest looked ominous to me. Before, this was a symbol of family, of bonds stronger than anything I could ever imagine. And now, all I felt was trouble and fear.

Who was going to help me now? Who was going to save me from James? How far would he go to get what he wanted?

I got up from my seat and set the book down on the chair. I heard the bones in my back cracking with relief. My body hurt from sitting so long. I searched around the room for any sort of opening, anything that could help me.

Nothing.

The glow from my eyes made me realize how claustrophobic the small room was making me.

I grabbed the pillow from the makeshift bed and put it on the hard chair. I sat down, pulling the Book towards me.

I needed to find a way out of this predicament, powers intact. I knew that I couldn't bear parting with my powers. I was born to use them, destined to have them until I could pass them down to my child. Because of my powers, I met Edward. I met the man I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. I found a family with Emmett, with Jasper, with Alice, with Rosalie. These were my brothers and sisters in all sense of the word.

How could I risk throwing all this away?

But on the other hand, how could I not?

Is that what it has come to? Give up my powers or die?

No. I _will_ find some other way out of this.

But where would I start? Could there be somewhere in this barely legible book that could help me? This wasn't the book of spells. And if I couldn't use my powers in this room, how was I supposed to make this work?

I opened the Book again, feeling stronger. I searched through the first couple of pages, glancing here and there at words that included our powers.

* * *

A couple days have passed. I couldn't tell exactly how many, considering there were no windows in this room. I relied solely on my internal clock, sleeping when I was desperately tired on the uncomfortable bed. James would bring me a meal every few hours that consisted mostly of bread and a type of broth. It was horrible, but it was all I had.

I kept wondering if my family was looking for me. What was Edward thinking right now? Did he truly think I abandoned him right after finding him? My parents must be so worried. They _know_ me. They _know_ I wouldn't just up and leave like this.

I was nearing the end of the book, after what felt like of days of searching, where I found what I was looking for. It was information on the crest with the sword piercing through it. It made me uneasy just to look at it. I felt my empty stomach churning as I read through the short paragraph under the symbol.

_"This symbol should be avoided at all costs. It will keep away your powers, temporarily disabling all connections. You must find it in yourself to burn the symbol. Alone it is near impossible. Together, manageable. Stay away."_

Burn it? How should I be expected to burn it without my powers?

Then it hit me. I'd become so dependent on my powers I'd begun to neglect the ways from before. It made me forget how I managed before my powers.

But how should I retrieve any sort of match or candle in this empty room?

I got up from the chair and pounded on the door. I only had to wait a couple seconds before James opened it, a smug look on his face.

"Figured it out?" he asked.

"No," I said as his smile evaporated. "How do you expect me to see in the dark?"

I wasn't going to tell him that the bright glow from my eyes was letting me see everything. But seriously? How stupid could James be to not give me any sort of light from the beginning?

"Oh, you have a point." He walked out of the door again, locking the door behind me. I hoped with all my heart he wouldn't trust me with a flashlight or lamp, that he would bring me a candle or something with a flame.

About a minute later, James waltzed back into the room, bearing two large round candles. I tried to compose my face as relief swelled my heart.

"Vanilla," he said handing them to me, "your favorite." The flames flickered in his face, brightening the room.

He set them down on the desk, pulling the chair up.

"Look at that," he said pointing, "perfect little workspace for you. Anything else?"

"No," I said, my voice breaking. I let a few tears slip from my eyes for effect.

"Oh, don't cry, Isabella." He came up to me and held my face in his hands. I tried not to flinch away from him. "I still love you, you know." I felt his thumb catch a fallen tear. "You could stand right by me. We can be together. We can be powerful together."

"Um, I…" I started to say.

"Shh," he said, he hugged me to his body. "You don't have to think about this now." I left my arms limp as he hugged me, disgusted.

He let go, kissing my cheek, and walked out of the room again, sealing the door.

The shock of his kiss wore off quickly. My mind raced with different plans to achieve my goal: getting out. Once I was out of this room, I'd have my powers back, I could feel it. The first thing I would do is send a message to Edward if he could hear me, a cry for help.

First things first, I needed a bigger fire. I was entirely against burning pages from the Book of A. I knew it in my heart that it was taboo. I plucked the pillowcase and the blanket from the bed, hoping it would work.

While I was gathering my supplies for the fire, there was a loud commotion outside of the door. I threw the pillow back on the bed and rushed to the door, afraid of James' suspicion.

I put my ear to the door, listening. I heard male voices, but the door was apparently too thick to make out anything from what I heard.

My head was against the door when it opened, launching me through the doorway. Hands caught me and I quickly cowered away from them, assuming the hands belonged to James.

"Isabella?" I looked up into Edward's dark face, full of worry. The terror I was holding back flooded out along with a large sob, relief replacing the fear I held. I felt the tears falling uncontrollably down my face. My hands shook, my chest shuddered as I struggled to breathe.

"It's okay," Edward said, pulling me into his chest. "You're safe, you're okay."

He held me tightly, keeping me together, while I calmed down. Tears were still falling but my breathing was starting to even out.

I looked up from Edward's arms to see James's limp body lying against the wall, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie standing around him. I unhooked myself from Edward's embrace, keeping his hand, and walked over to them, hugging each, a smile on my tear streaked face.

I just _knew_ they wouldn't think I left them.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: sujari6, ellaryne, lizakimiko, royalblueheiress, MissMartha, willowfaust, cbmorefie, csp4, TwiSam1989, Matthias Stormcrow, and musicalvictory12!**

**See you next Monday!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! Sorry for the late update. Here's Chapter 15**, **hope you like it.**

**Reminder: no beta, my mistakes.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 15

We walked out of the dark and up a flight stairs. It seems that James kept me in a basement cellar, away from any source of light.

Once we were out of the basement, I found myself in a normal kitchen, in a small house in town, a few miles from our school. It was crazy to think that I would be stuck there forever, now that I realized how close I was to freedom.

We trailed out through the broken down front door and to Emmett's Hummer parked directly in front of the small, ordinary house. Jasper, Alice and Rosalie were staying behind to wait for the police, watching over James's unconscious body.

I climbed in the backseat, Edward's hand in mine. Once he was in, he shut the door and I buried my head in the crook of his neck, his arm around my shoulders, and grabbed a fistful of his collar in my hand. The tears were still falling down my cheeks; I couldn't stop them.

I wasn't ready to hear how they found me. I figured that conversation could be left for later. Now wasn't the time, I wasn't in the mood. I wanted to go home, to wash away my stress with a hot shower, to sleep in my warm bed.

"Are you hungry?" Edward murmured in my ear. I could hear the worry and relief in his voice.

I couldn't find my voice. I shook my head, eager to get home.

"Are you okay?" he asked. His worry radiated through his voice.

"I was so scared." My breathing sped up, I was gasping for my breath. My fear overwhelmed me again. I was afraid. Afraid that this could happen again. Afraid to be separated from Edward, from my family.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Bella," His arms wound tighter around me and I saw Emmett watching from the rearview mirror, his face full of concern.

"I'm okay," I heard myself say, my voice hoarse.

We finally reached the Manor after what felt like hours driving. I saw my parents waiting on the steps, eager to see me, their faces echoing Emmett's concern.

When the Hummer stopped, my father approached the door, opening it for Edward and reaching for me. The look on his face was of relief and worry, mixed in with anger and hate. My mother was right behind him, tears streaking down her face.

"Oh, Bella…" my mother cried, loudly.

I held my tears back again, afraid it would scare them more. I let them pass me to the next person, feeling their warmth through my thin clothes. The night air felt frigid.

Finally, Edward held me again and helped me inside. My parents didn't object as he led me up the stairs to my room. He helped me take my shoes off and walked me to the bathroom. He left me, promising he'll wait outside for me, while I showered, washing off James' touch and letting the water run.

The hot water felt soothing. It relaxed my muscles and helped me to wash away my fears. I shut the water off, reluctantly, and dried myself with a large, fluffy towel. I put my pajamas on and tried drying my hair out as much as I could.

When I walked out of the bathroom, Edward was waiting for me, sitting on my desk chair. I walked to him and he held his arms out for me. I sat on his lap and snuggled against him, grateful again for him and the others.

"Will you stay?" I asked him. I didn't want to be left alone.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he answered. "Your father is already furious at me for coming after you without the police."

"I don't care." I nestled against his shoulder and I felt him sigh. I knew he would stay for me, I knew he would do anything for me. Just as I would do anything for him.

He picked me up, suddenly, and carried me to the bed, tucking me into the covers.

"Please," I begged, my voice watery. "Don't go."

He hesitated, looking between the door and my face.

Finally, he kicked off his shoes and climbed in with me, as I knew he eventually would, wrapping his arms around my middle. I turned to face him, deciding now would be the perfect time for some answers.

"How'd you find me?" I reached my hand up and touched his face, my hand forming itself around his cheek.

He stared right into my eyes, the lights turning off, and started, choosing his words carefully.

"Emmett came with me to pick you up for our date, knowing Rosalie was at your house with Alice. They were worried. Alice said you went downstairs, but when she called your name, you never answered." His brow furrowed, reliving the memory.

"Emmett called us, then," he continued. "We searched for you, calling your cell phone. When you didn't answer, we started worrying. I couldn't feel you. None of us could, even though the connection you and I have is much stronger then the others. I was so worried and scared. I felt empty, not being able to sense you."

He pulled me closer, our bodies touching under the covers. I rested my cold feet against his socks, warming them up.

"I called the police and then your parents and they took the next flight out of New York. Waiting for them was awful. The police didn't want to look for you because of the note you supposedly left. They called you a runaway.

"We drove all over town, searching all day long, even going through the nearest towns. And then when I came back, I felt like a pull, like something in my mind was dragging me to a street. Then to that house. I called the others before anything, just in case. But I knew you were in there somewhere. I felt it. I called Charlie and he told me to leave, to call the police, but I couldn't, not with knowing you might be in there.

"I knocked on the door and James answered, that's when I really knew that he'd taken you. Jasper and Emmett took him out and I searched the house. It was weird though, because I knew you were somewhere in there and but I couldn't feel the pull as strong anymore.

"Then I found the door you were behind, with the weird symbol. I felt all wrong. Like cold and scared. I couldn't tell what it was, but then I couldn't use my powers anymore. I walked closer and closer to the door and I felt sick. But this would be the last place to find you, so you had to be in there.

"Then I found you," he finished, kissing my forehead.

"That symbol," I said, slowly, "I found it in the Book. Wait! The Book, did someone get it?"

"Yeah, Alice found it and took it back to school. She locked it up with the book of spells." I exhaled. "Tell me about the symbol."

"It removes our powers. That's why I couldn't reach you." I smoothed out the wrinkles in his creased forehead with my fingers. "I was helpless. But the Book also says how to reverse the affects. You have to burn it."

"How did you expect to do that without your powers?"

"I asked James to bring me candles, so I could search for what he wanted."

"What did he want?" Edward asked, suspicious.

"My powers," I whispered. I felt Edward's arms tense around me, his breathing speed up.

"I should have killed him," he said through his teeth.

"No," I said quickly. "No you shouldn't have."

"Why not?" He was angry now.

"Because you aren't a murderer." I tried calming him down, passing my hand through his hair like I knew he liked. It worked. I felt his heartbeat slow with his breathing.

"So he brought you candles?" he urged on.

"Yes. I was going to burn the sheets from the bed and the pillowcase, trying to create a bigger fire. And then I heard noises from behind the door. And you found me." I smiled lightly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, but how about we not try for a second time. I don't ever want to have to save you from anything again."

"You know how we can prevent that?" I teased.

"How?"

"Never leave me," I smiled.

"I can do that." His lips found their way down jaw line, behind my ear, and back. I twisted my face to his, kissing him eagerly. My fingers tangled through his hair and I pulled my body closer to his.

He pulled away, his breathing accelerated.

"It's time to sleep, Bella," he laughed in my ear.

"Don't leave me," I told him.

"I won't." I closed my eyes, resting my face against his chest.

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Bella," he replied as I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: ellaryne, lizakimiko, csp4, tiffyboocullenjonas, royalblueheiress, TwiSam1989, MissMartha, cbmorefie, Matthias Stormcrow, and sujari6!**

**Have a good week!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello everyone! I hope you had a good weekend, wherever you are :)**

**I'm not all too happy with the direction this chapter went/how I'm resolving things, but what can I do but try to finish the best I can? Remember people, this is my first full length story!**

**All mistakes are mine, but thanks to roselally for pre-reading!**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 16

I woke up numerous times that night. I kept reliving what happened with James. The symbol was present everywhere. I couldn't get it out of my head. Each time I woke up, Edward was there, holding me. These dreams shocked me awake. It was so vivid, like I was actually there.

The feeling the symbol gave me stayed with me when I woke up. I couldn't shake it off, knowing that if I closed my eyes again, it would come back. But I was so tired, nonetheless, and my eyes closed automatically.

When I woke up for the last time, I knew I'd slept as much as I could. Edward snored lightly beside me, his arm covering his face. He was still in his jeans, wearing a plain, white t-shirt.

I climbed out of bed, careful not to wake him, and headed to the bathroom. I expected to have heavy bags under my eyes, but when I looked into the mirror, my face showed no signs of distress, only the wrinkles of sleep.

I brushed my teeth and washed my face, picked up my hair in a messy bun and walked back out into my closet. I got dressed, putting on a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and my slippers, and walked back into my room where I found Edward, his hair disheveled, sitting up in my bed.

I sat beside him and he took my hand in his.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm okay. I'm sorry for waking you up so much last night."

"Bella, you know I only care that you're alright. I don't care if I lose a little sleep. As long as you are safe." He squeezed my hand.

"Thank you. For staying. For being here for me."

"I'll always be here for you, Bella." I smiled at him while he traced random patterns on my hand. "I need to head home—" he stopped, noticing my face fall. "I'm coming back, though."

"Alright." I let go of his hand and he put his shoes back on. We headed out of the door and down the stairs together. Walking out the door, he hesitated and I knew he didn't want to leave me alone.

"I'm fine, you can go," I reassured him.

He squeezed my hand and left. I closed the door and faced my parents who appeared behind me as Edward left.

"Bella," my father started. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, Dad." I walked up to them and grabbed his outstretched hand. My mother's face was still full of worry. "Mom, I'm fine, really."

"I'm just worried, honey," she said.

"I know, but I'm okay now."

"Bella, I understand Edward stayed the night?" my father questioned. I knew he would bring it up. But he didn't have to sound so suspicious. I knew he trusted me and he trusted Edward.

"Yeah, Dad," I answered him.

"I know you needed him last night, though. So I'm not going to say anything. I should thank him. I spoke to the others so I know what happened. We wouldn't have found you without Edward."

"Do you know what's going to happen with James?" I asked.

"James Carter will be taken care of. Unfortunately for me, the Sheriff is handling it. You don't need to worry about the details."

"Oh, ok, I guess." I wondered what they would do to him? Then I realized I didn't care, just as long he was taken care of.

"Alright, sweetheart," my mother said. "Your father and I are going to the station to press charges against James. You need to come with us, sweetie." My face scrunched up. I knew eventually I would have to speak to the police, but I just wished I had more time to come to terms with what happened with me.

I followed them out to the waiting car and we drove to the police station in no time, where we met with the Sheriff himself. I was seated in a small room while the Sheriff and another officer had me talk them through my whole ordeal.

It was difficult to explain to them _why_ James was so interested in me. For obvious purposes, the motive could not be as easy to find. I ended up telling them James was just a psychotic ex boyfriend who told me he wanted me to go back to New York with him. I also explained to them Tanya and Irina's involvement and they were currently searching for them.

After what felt like hours of interrogation, the officers explained to me that they were charging James with assault, kidnapping, and he would be charged in New York where his parents were waiting for him with a lawyer.

Knowing my father, Charlie wouldn't let anything less than what he deserved happen to James. He would pay for the ordeal he put not only me, but also all of us through.

Back home, I climbed the stairs to my room, eager to get a nap in after what felt like I ran through a marathon. I opened my door and to my surprise and fear, I found Irina sitting calmly on my bed.

"Oh, Bella," she started with crocodile tears in her eyes, "I was so worried about you. When I heard what James did I—"

"Cut the shit, Irina," I interrupted. "I know you were involved. He told me all about your little plan." Just then, the worried look she had on her face turned into a sneer.

"You think you're so perfect, don't you Bella?" She stood up from my bed and walked slowly towards me. "I don't know what James ever saw in you."

From the side of my eye, I saw her hand jut out in my direction. Using my shield, I quickly stopped it in its tracks, leaving her hand frozen in midair.

"I don't think so, Irina," I said calmly to her. I can tell from the look on her face that she was trying to move her hand but was increasingly freaking out. I never before felt such rage, especially directed at someone I thought was a close friend. Without thinking, my fist found its way to her nose, blood gushing down her shocked, open mouth.

Even through the pain in my hand, I felt proud of myself. I wasn't going to let Irina get away with her involvement in James' scheme.

"Dad!" I yelled through the open door. "Irina's in my room."

I heard hurried steps up the stairs and they reached my room, my father with a shocked look upon his face and my mother completely worried, already dialing the police on her cellphone.

"Put the shield down, Bella," he whispered, "before the police get here."

I lowered my shield and my father grabbed Irina's arm and hauled her down the stairs to wait for the police.

"Are you alright, Bella?" my mother asked.

"I'm just fine," I smirked.

* * *

"Where's my breakfast?" Emmett teased the next morning after the Irina incident. Tanya had been found waiting in an unmarked car a little down the road. I guess she didn't realize how small this town was when a person reported suspicious activity and she was spotted.

Emmett slung his arm lightly around me and led me to an empty chair at the table beside Edward.

I laughed effortlessly at his question. Edward smiled beside me. I kissed his cheek, my hands in his. He looked like he just showered; his hair was slightly wet. He wore a long sleeved black shirt and jeans. I looked around to the others and they were also dressed warmly. I wondered how cold it was outside.

I stood and walked to the freezer, grabbing the box of frozen waffles. Edward joined me, finding plates and silverware. Once the waffles for everyone were done, we sat at the small table and ate, chatting all the while.

It felt nice, after everything I went through, to sit with them. My family. It felt natural.

"So what's on the agenda today?" Jasper asked.

"What's today?" I asked, absentmindedly. I was lost. Was today a weekday? How long did James have me again?

"Today's Sunday, Bella," Edward said.

"Oh," I got up, gathering the plates from the table. I went and dropped the plates in the sink and I felt someone follow me.

"Is everything okay?" I turned to find Edward behind me, his eyes full of worry. He put his arms around me and held me tight.

"Yeah, everything is fine," I looked up at him. "I promise," I added as his eyes changed from worry to suspicion.

"Okay, I believe you. But you don't have to try so hard."

I looked at him and I knew he could see right through me. I was trying, I know. I was trying to put this past me, to ignore the feeling of being alone and without my powers. I tried not to think that this could happen again.

"I didn't think I was trying. I'm honestly okay."

"Alright," he answered. I knew he wasn't convinced though. I just didn't think he noticed as much, I didn't think he watched me so much.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: cbmorefie, tiffyboocullenjonas, ellaryne, MIssMartha, musicalvictory123, TwiSam1989, lizakimiko, csp4, Matthias Stormcrow, sujari6, and Midnight Angels Say Goodnight!**

**Also, thanks to those who have followed/favorited my story! **

**Have a good week and I'll see you next Monday.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry for the late-ish update, but here is Chapter 17! **

**Reminder, no beta-my mistakes.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 17

We spent that day hanging around my house, finding things to do. It seemed as if they were tiptoeing around me, trying not to get me upset, but I was trying so hard to act like everything was back to normal. At a certain point, Rosalie and Emmett wandered off by themselves, I'm assuming aware of the ever-present tension.

I was sitting against Edward in the game room, watching the television. The others were dozing off and the sun was setting outside.

The atmosphere was so peaceful, I started getting drowsy. When I closed my eyes, I let the darkness take over me, leading me to sleep.

In my dream, I was wandering around a dark forest, the only light shining from my eyes. The trees were large and overgrown, signs of being deep inside a forest. I walked aimlessly forward, searching for something I couldn't find. Critters rushed past me, running away from whatever I was walking towards, yet I didn't stop.

Roots from the large trees seemed to want to trip me, to send me spiraling towards the forest floor.

I walked carefully; conscious of the ominous feeling that someone or something was watching me. I looked behind me, realizing I was alone, yet the only thing behind me were trees and more trees.

I was lost, yet I knew that I shouldn't stop looking for whatever it was I searched for.

There was a break in the trees, suddenly, appearing out of nowhere. I walked through it to find a small shack, weathered and old. The shutters were falling apart, glass on the ground. The screen door was opened, creaking lightly with the faint breeze.

I walked to the front door and tried the doorknob, finding it open. I turned it slowly, afraid of what I might find.

"Bella…" I whipped around as I heard my name being called. There wasn't anyone there. It scared me, made me really think someone was watching me.

I turned back to the door and pushed it open. I stepped in, carefully watching for anything that might surprise me.

It was dark inside, like the forest. I wished I had a flashlight to see better. Wasn't this a dream though? Shouldn't I just have to think about something and it would appear?

I searched the wall, hoping to find a light switch. When I did, I gratefully flipped it, finding myself in a small room. There was an overturned table in the corner; the small, low couch in the center had rips through it, as if someone slashed it with a knife, the stuffing coming out.

At the end of the short room was another door. When I glanced at it, the light behind it turned on. My heart was nearly audible, pounding with fear.

"Bella…" This time I knew that the voice wasn't following behind me—it was in that room.

I walked to the door, trying the handle. It was open, but the door was hard to budge. I pushed, putting my shoulder into it.

When I got the door open, I found myself in another shabby room, the furniture destroyed. I walked in, confused. Hadn't I just heard the strange voice calling me from inside this room?

"Bella." I turned to the door, coming face to face with James Carter.

I froze, the shock locking my joints in place. He smiled at me and my stomach twisted.

"Bella," he started, stepping towards me, "what happened between us has left me itching to see you again." My breathing was ragged and I felt goose bumps rise where he touch my arm.

"The thing is," he continued, "I'm not done with you. Your bodyguards unfortunately interrupted our little party. It's safe to say that there won't be any intrusions here."

"Where am I?" I whispered.

"This, love, is more than just your dream. I can't really explain it, because I know _I _can feel it when I do this," his hand traced up to my shoulder, down to my collarbone, and up to my face. "You can only feel it here. Here, where I am in complete control."

He lowered his hand from my face and turned away from me. He walked over to the small bed and sat down.

"You see, I did my homework and now I've acquired some special powers of my own and obviously, I've managed to escape the police. So now, all I want is _you_. And I'm not going to stop until you're mine. Come, sit by me." He patted the spot next to him with his hand.

I didn't move, though. When he saw that I refused to budge, he stopped tapping his hand on the mattress and waved his hand forward. With a sudden rush of wind, I was seated next to him, a smile on his face.

"What just happened?" I gasped.

"It's like I said, I'm in complete control here." He reached up and stroked my cheek with the back of his hand. I flinched, repulsed by his touch.

"You know, Bella, this would be a lot easier if you just cooperated with me. There's no need to deny how you feel about me. I know it's somewhere inside of you, just waiting to burst out."

"The only thing I feel for you, James, is hate and disgust—"

"Shh," he interrupted. "There's no need for that, baby. Just be in the moment with me, for once. I remember when we'd be together in New York. Just you and I, alone. Those are my best memories, Bella."

"Back when I questioned my sanity…" I murmured to myself.

"And you know what? I want that again. I want it badly. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. And you will be again, I promise you, my love."

"How do you expect to make me love you against my own will?" I asked incredulous.

"I don't expect you to love me right away, beautiful. But I don't know why you can't. I mean, I could give you everything you want. Everything your little boyfriend can't. We can stay in this world forever, baby."

He waved his hand around, motioning to the room.

"Why would I want to stay here with you?" My voice was strained, fighting the tears that wanted to come.

"Well, it doesn't have to be _here,_ exactly." He stood, shoving his hands into his pocket. He looked around the small room and suddenly it grew, turning into my room in the penthouse in New York.

The bed I was sitting on was suddenly my old bed. My things were back where I left them, before we moved to Forks. Through the windows, I could see the quiet Upper East Side street. I heard the distant sound of people talking outside, close enough to see, yet far enough that I knew they wouldn't hear me if I screamed for help.

I eyed the open door to my bedroom and considered making a run for it.

"Bella, don't bother running, there's nowhere you can go that I wouldn't find you." James said simply, searching my face.

He was right; this was a dream, after all. His world, evidently.

"See," James said, "this is better, right? I knew you'd feel more comfortable at home." He walked up to the bed, sitting beside me again. "Can't you see the possibilities, Bella? We could be so happy here together."

"I can never be happy with you, James." I was suddenly afraid as a flash of darkness passed over his face. It disappeared as soon as it came and he smirked.

"Well, you're just going to have to, my love." He placed his hand on mine, winding our fingers together. When I tried pulling my hand back, he held on tighter.

I figured I'd just let him get his way for now. I wasn't going to get anywhere trying to resist. But I wasn't going to give up. There had to be some way to wake up. How long have I been asleep now? Why wasn't Edward trying to wake me up?

"I don't believe you don't want me, Bella. Don't you remember how much fun we used to have? Even here in your room. On this very bed." He smiled, lying back on the bed, keeping my hand in his. "Of course, you never let it get very far. Which I respect now, as I did then. Unless you've changed your mind…"

"In your dreams, James," I said, saying his name as an expletive.

"Ah, that's right, in _my_ dreams. This is as much my dream as yours, Bella, remember that. Anything can happen." He grinned, sitting back up and wrapping his arm around my waist.

I stood, detracting myself from his embrace, and walked a few feet away from the bed, hugging my arms around myself.

James approached me, unhooking my arms and placing them around his neck, and pulled me toward him.

I knew it would do no good to fight, so I let my arms fall limply to my side. I felt his breath close on my neck when he said, "Just give me a chance, Bella. I'll prove to you we were meant to be together."

He lifted my chin and pressed his lips to mine.

I struggled pointlessly against him, trying to shove his face away from mine. His lips moved on my mouth in an unfamiliar way, trying to get a response from me. His arms were wrapped around my body, his hand at the small of my back.

A few moments later, his lips froze, curling up into a smile.

"Bella, if you could just live with me here in the moment, you'd enjoy yourself just as much as I am." He let go of me and I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

"How do I wake up from this nightmare?" I asked him. My voice seethed with hate for him. He wasn't making this situation any easier. The feel of his lips was revolting. My lips shouldn't touch anyone else's but Edward's. This wasn't right.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: ellaryne, lizakimiko, csp4, MissMartha, Guest (Please sign in so I can thank you personally!), tiffyboocullenjonas, royalblueheiress, TwiSam1989, Matthias Stormcrow, and sujari6!**

**Have a good week :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi everyone! Hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

**Reminder, no beta-my mistakes. Sorry to roselally for not getting these past couple of chapter to you!**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 18

"Nightmare?" He grabbed the tops of my arms, shaking me with so much force my teeth rattled. "Bella! This isn't a nightmare! I won't let you wake up. You are staying here with me. You _will_ stay with me."

"James, you're hurting me." I could feel his fingers digging into my arms, forming bruises. He let go of me, turning his face away and walked out of the room.

Alone, I tried to think of a way to wake myself up. After James' loss of temper, I knew hurting myself wouldn't work. But there had to be something I could do. Some way for me to wake up and escape this nightmare. Because this _was_ a nightmare. How could he think that I would enjoy being forced to stay here with him against my will?

I paced back and forth in front of the bed, thinking.

This magic of James' has to be somewhat like ours. He must be using some sort of spell. A spell can always be broken, probably with another spell. Now all I had to do was think of a spell to get me out. There wasn't anything that we knew of in the book of spells to trap people in a dream. What kind of spells could do that? And if there was, there had to be a counter spell.

I played with words in my head, rhyming to make them sound right. Do they _have_to rhyme? They sounded silly, I knew they wouldn't work. But I had to keep trying, preferably before James turned up again.

_From this dream I must wake, don't keep me here. Bring me back to life to escape this fear._

It sounded right in my head, but if I said it aloud, would it work? Did my powers even work here in a dream?

I had no choice but to try and try fast. I could hear James's footsteps coming closer and closer to the door.

"Bella…?" I heard him call.

"From this dream I must awake, don't keep me here. Bring me back to life to escape this fear." The words rushed out fast and the last thing I saw was James' face with an expression of shock and anger, his hand outstretched clutching the empty air.

I felt an odd shiver run through my body and I awoke with a start, nearly colliding heads with Emmett who was peering down directly above me. It took me a few moments to realize that the people I loved the most surrounded me.

My head was resting on one of the couch pillows and someone had thrown a blanket over me. Edward was seated on the floor by my head, a strong look of relief on his gorgeous face.

"What happened?" he asked. Next to him sat Rosalie and Alice, their faces identical masks of relief mixed with worry. On my other side, Jasper stared down at me.

I couldn't feel my face from the outside, but inside, I was reeling with the realization that my impromptu spell had worked. My short, silly spell got me out of trouble.

I lay there, reveling at this discovery when a sound of impatience came from Emmett's throat.

My voice was raspy and heavy with sleep. "How long was I out?"

"About four and a half hours," came a reply from Emmett above me. This surprised me immensely; it didn't feel like I was asleep for so long. It felt like only twenty minutes.

I sat up into a sitting position, noting the aches from my still body and the tenderness from the tops of my arms as I did so.

"Bella," Edward said softly, rising up to sit next to me on the couch. "We tried everything, but we couldn't wake you up. Do you remember what happened to you?"

I looked at his eyes, feeling something inside me knot and unknot as he looked back into mine.

"James." I finally answered. Edward's eyes flashed with anger, the side of his mouth turning down. From the corner of my eye, I saw Emmett stand upright and walk away, his fingers laced behind his head.

"What did he do to you, Bella?" Edward asked, holding my cold hands in his.

"He wanted me," I started. "He wanted me to stay with him."

"How?" Alice asked.

"He said he had his own magic. But he wouldn't tell me what. He said we could be powerful, together." As I said this, Edward looked away. I brought my hand to his chin and turned his face back towards mine. I saw the anguish in his eyes and I wished there was some way I could make it go away. I looked away feeling sad, my eyes filling up with tears. It was my fault he felt this way.

"What did he do with you?" Emmett asked, walking back to where we sat.

"Nothing," I answered. "He just wanted me to be with him. But I wouldn't. He wanted me to love him. He didn't want me to wake up. He got mad when I asked him how to wake up; he shook me." My hands automatically went from Edward's grip to the tops of my arms. I could feel the tender skin beneath my touch, see the bruises forming slowly. "He was mad. Then he walked away from me and I found a way to wake up." I finished in a whisper.

"How did you wake up?" Rosalie asked. She was still sitting in front of me, her eyebrows close together.

"A spell. I made one up." I couldn't look back at Edward. His pain just made mine feel much worse.

When no one said anything, Rosalie stood and held her hand out to me.

"Come on," she said. "Let's go upstairs, get you in the shower, wake you up." I grabbed her hand and rose from the couch, a shudder running through my body as my bare feet touched the cold floor. Alice followed close behind us.

The girls held on to me tightly as I groggily walked up the stairs and to my room. I felt so tired, even after all the time I was asleep. I felt like I haven't slept in days.

Alice helped me out of my clothes and into the bathtub, staying in the bathroom as I showered. I was so grateful for her and Rosalie at that point. Once I finished, she passed me a towel and a pair of warm pajamas.

They left me to get changed and I thought about facing Edward again. What was he going to do now? It killed me to think that he is suffering because of me. I hate James for what he did. I hate him from the bottom of my heart.

"Bella, are you almost ready?" Rosalie called from my bedroom.

I walked slowly to the door and opened it. I found a pair of slippers in my closet and put them on, anticipating the cold floor downstairs.

Together, we walked back down to where my friends sat quietly in the game room. The television was off and they sat stone like, facing one another. Rosalie sat me down beside her on the empty loveseat and pulled the blanket over me. I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, leaning against her. She stroked her fingers through my wet hair and we waited for somebody to speak.

I looked at everywhere but at them. I was afraid of their reactions. I was afraid of the anger I could feel emanating from the atmosphere around them. I was afraid someone was going to snap and start yelling.

"I'm going to make you some coffee," Alice said, breaking the silence.

"Thanks, Al," I said to her. She stood; carefully making sure the blanket didn't fall to the floor as she did. I watched her as she left the room and when she walked out the door, I felt Edward's eyes on my face.

I looked back at him, aware of his stare. I eyed the distance between us and patted the space beside me for him to sit, distinctly reminding myself of James and when he wanted me at his side. I pushed that awful memory aside as he stood and walked carefully to the loveseat and sat.

I closed the space between us and wrapped my arms around him. I shifted my legs on his lap and he responded by pulling me closer, completely in his lap, burying his face in my neck.

"I thought I lost you again," he whispered, even though he knew they would all hear. I felt his warm breath on my neck and I inhaled his clean scent, breathing in the way he smelled, experiencing the feeling of electricity where we touched and the knotting and unknotting in my stomach.

"You can never lose me, Edward," I whispered back. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Bella." He kissed my neck and rested his forehead against my shoulder.

I felt him breathe in deeply and I smiled, knowing he was doing the same thing I was: rememorizing the scent of what we loved the most.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: ellaryne, cbmorefie, TwiSam1989, MissMartha, royalblueheiress, lizakimiko, Matthias Stormcrow, csp4. and sujari6! You all make me SO happy.**

**Have a great week!**

**P.S. Anyone want to be my pen pal? PM me ;)**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter!**

**Reminder: no beta, my mistakes.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 19

That night, everyone stayed up, afraid to let me fall asleep. Rosalie provided everyone with enough coffee to keep us awake and alert. If my head would droop a few inches, I would be shaken awake by whomever it was sitting next to me.

It felt like days not hours when the sun finally came up. I was desperately tired. My brain refused to function correctly and I felt like a statue, forced to stay awake. I felt bad for the others around me, having to stay up with me, but they insisted, telling me that as long as I was awake, they would be too.

I was walking in circles around the couches, trying to keep enough energy in my system. I felt their eyes on me as I passed by them, one stare after the other. I knew they were worried, but it was starting to get annoying.

The night before, Alice and Jasper went to the school to retrieve the Book of Shadows from it's padlocked home. We searched through it, looking for something to help, yet everything we would find didn't seem like it could help our situation. We kept looking, though, hoping to find something that would tell us how to defeat James and prevent him from hurting me again.

I felt jittery, the coffee making its way throughout my body. My steps around the couches were quick and I kept tripping over my own feet. Back around the loveseat, Edward grabbed my hand and sat me down beside him, handing me another cup of coffee.

"You're making me dizzy," he said. His voice sounded groggy and clouded with the sleepless night.

"I'm sorry," I told him. "I just feel like I need to move around. I don't think this coffee is working. I just want to sleep!"

From the opposite side of the room, Emmett's head lifted from the Book of Shadows in response.

"I think we should just let her sleep," he said, eyeing us.

"That's the stupidest idea you've ever had," Edward answered him coldly.

"No, wait," he defended himself, "hear me out. We let her sleep and we find a way to get in her dream and we get this jerk."

"That could work," Jasper said beside him. "There has to be something in this book that'll help us." He shifted the book closer to him and started flipping through the pages.

"You can just make one up," I added. They all looked at me then, as if I were crazy. "That's what I did to get out. I just made one up."

"But can we risk it?" Edward said. I felt him tense beside me when Emmett suggested his idea and I was afraid he would say no. This plan felt right, like if it would really work. It was the only thing we had left. But if Edward disagreed, I didn't want to do it against him.

"Can we risk getting her in trouble again?" he continued. "I don't want to have to resort to using her as bait."

"She's not bait, Edward," Emmett said. "Look at her, are we going to keep her sleep deprived and avoid James?"

He looked down at me and I hoped my eyes didn't deceive him. I wanted to do this. This seemed like the only way to solve this. I didn't want to wait around for James to come look for me. I wanted this over with now. His expression as he looked down at me was full of pain. He was worried; I saw it in his eyes. But I didn't think he needed to be. I had a strong feeling this would work out perfectly.

"Edward…" Emmett insisted. "This _will_ work, trust me."

"It's okay," I reassured him with a small smile. "I can do this."

He gazed down at me, a mixture of emotions on his face. He exhaled deeply and said, "Fine. But we need a plan first. We're not doing this blind." He looked away from my face and to Emmett who was now flipping through the book with a calculated expression. Next to Emmett, Rosalie rested her head on the couch's armrest, her feet in Emmett's lap under the book, and shut her eyes, grateful for the go ahead to nap.

I got comfortable on the couch, tucking my feet under me and leaning on Edward. I didn't know whether to be scared and put on a brave face or not, but I knew that they needed to believe I was strong enough to do this. I knew it was up to me to finish this once and for all.

I just hoped James wouldn't be too hard on me for escaping. His angry face from when I left haunted me. I was afraid of what I was to find in my dream.

* * *

The plan was set. I was to fall asleep, made easily by my drooping eyes and incoherent thoughts. My job was to make sure James didn't harm me in any way and to get him to believe staying with him was what I wanted. I felt like this was going to be hard, remembering the look James gave me as he reached out to keep me in the dream.

I was lying on the couch, a pillow under my head and a blanket wrapped comfortably around me, waiting for sleep to overcome me. Edward was lying beside me, his arm wrapped around me, watching me. Now and then, I'd feel him kiss my closed eyelids lightly, my nose, the corner of my mouth.

The boys were seated on the other couches, waiting. As soon as I fell asleep, they were to say the spell we made up together to enter my dreams, hopefully finding James and I easily.

"Are you asleep yet?" Edward murmured, kissing me again.

"No," I answered, smiling. I lifted my face up to his and I kissed his mouth. He kissed me back with as much eagerness as I had. I felt my heart speed up as our kiss lengthened and his breathing became shallow. Edward squeezed my body against his, his hand pressing tightly against the small of my back.

"That's not really going to help her sleep, Edward," Jasper said, clearly feeling how worked up he was making me. The others laughed quietly and I parted from Edward's lips and tucked my head into his shoulder, closing my eyes.

The last thing I heard—apart from their snickers—was Edward's "I love you" whispered in my ear right before I fell asleep.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: lizakimiko, MissMartha, ellaryne, royalblueheiress, sujari6, csp4, cbmorefie, and TC.**

**See you next week :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys! Here's Chapter 20, and this will come to a surprise, but the next chapter is the last! I may write an epilogue, but this story is seriously winding down. I hope you all like this chapter; I'm honestly not a big fan of it. It is a bit anticlimactic, but it's something that needs to happen!**

**Reminder, no beta. My mistakes.**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 20

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the floor next to my bed in New York. It was dark outside, the sounds of the New York City nightlife alive and rising. The door to my room was closed, light billowing through the cracks.

I got up, moving towards the door and I hesitated before turning the knob, the fear that was in the back of my head presenting itself front and center. I tried to push it back, knowing that I needed to be brave enough to do this—I needed to be convincing.

When I got a hold of my nerves, I opened the door to the quiet hallway and called out his name.

"James?" My voice echoed through the dark, empty corridor.

I continued to walk towards the end of the hallway and through to the other side of the large foyer. Once I reached the end, I stopped and called his name again.

"James? Where are you?" I paused, hoping he was still here, waiting for me.

"Isabella." I whipped around to the sound of his voice behind me and saw him come through the door I just walked through. He looked surprised to see me; a shadow of the anger present from when I last saw him.

I swallowed, trying to clear my now constricted throat and walked up to him, standing a few feet away.

"I'm sorry I left James," I said, placing a look of apology on my face.

"What?" His face changed, the shadow of anger disappearing, replaced by curiosity.

"I should have listened to you," I continued. "What you said before, all of it was true, about us. Everything, including how I miss the city and how much I need ot be with you and not Edward. I hate the small town and the people. I hate not seeing my real friends and family in New York. I miss you, James. I miss being where you are. You are the only one I need in my life."

"I knew you'd see reason." He closed the space between us and took my hand, kissing my palm. "I knew you'd realize we were meant to be together forever."

I flinched as he kissed my cheek lightly. It was involuntary, but he saw it.

"Why don't I believe you?" he asked suspiciously.

I was afraid he saw through my act and me. My heart beat faster and faster as I held onto his hand and pulled myself closer to him, tucking my head into the crook of his neck.

"What can I do to change that?" I breathed. His arms wrapped around me and he pulled my face up to his. Before I knew it, his lips were on mine and I was frozen against him.

I tried my hardest not to break away from him and run, he needed to believe that this was legit, that I wanted him. I kissed him back, forcing myself to not think about what I was doing. I reached my hand up and tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling his face closer to me. He broke away first, breathing heavily. He didn't stop though, as he kissed his way down to my neck.

At that point, I was desperately wishing Edward and the others would burst through, ending this. I couldn't keep this façade up for much longer. My blood was practically boiling in rage and disgust for this person I thought I knew.

His arms pulled me tighter and I felt his hand slide down my backside. I twisted my head away from his as his lips continued down my neck.

Where were they? They were supposed to be here by now. Did something go wrong?

Away from James's face, I watched the door we both came through. James was still kissing his way up and down my neck and my arm was around his neck, his back to it.

Watching the door, I suddenly saw it inch open slowly. My eyes widened and I hoped James didn't hear it creak slowly as Rosalie's face appeared through the opening. I could see her hand in front of her, moving the door slow enough with her mind to avoid any sound, and she walked slowly to where we were standing, followed closely by Edward, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice.

I extended my hand out to Edward as he crept up behind James and he grabbed it, squeezing my fingers but let go quickly. My arm fell limply to my side while James looked up to see my face.

"Get away from her," Edward said, reaching out and grabbing James's shoulder.

James let go of me and spun around, the sound of Edward's fist breaking his nose echoing off the walls. I stepped away, Alice and Rosalie coming to stand beside me.

"I should have known," James said, turning to me and holding his nose. There was blood slowly trickling down to his chin, staining his white collared shirt. "You're a lying whore, Isabella, you always were."

I cowered, aware of the deadly stare from James. He glowered at me, a fistful of his shirt in Jasper's hand. Emmett was forcibly holding him back by his arms, the strength he had barely allowing James to move.

Edward's face was calm and determined. I didn't know exactly what their plan was, but I just hoped they would hurry up and get it over with. This needs to be over now.

The rage in Edward's eyes was bubbling out and filled the room with tension. His fist found its way to multiple parts of James' body and the sounds of breaking bones could clearly be heard, all while Emmett held him up.

"Stop, man. Say the spell, Edward!" Jasper said on the other side of him, placing his hand on his shoulder to calm him down faster.

After letting out a few harsh breaths, Edward mumbled a few words, his face intense.

And then James disappeared. Just like that. One second he was there, then he was gone.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Let's get you home," Alice said, prying my tight fingers loose from her arm. "Ouch."

"Sorry," I mumbled. I stepped away from her and walked nervously to Edward who was standing in the middle of the room, massaging his fists.

"Thank you," I told him. I stood at his side, waiting for him to acknowledge me.

"Let's go," he said, looking away to others who were grouped behind Emmett.

Together, we recited the short spell I came up with to escape from James in the first place and wound up back where we left off.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: lizakimiko, ellaryne, csp4, iipu98, MissMartha, Shanek, TwiSam1989, cbmorefie, willowfaust, TC, and sujari6! You guys are awesome :)**

**See you next week for the finale!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Welcome to the final chapter of Legacy! I _have_ considered writing an epilogue, but it's going to take me a while. Remember, all my chapters were prewritten. All I had to do was change some names and some scenarios to Twilight-fy it, but I never wrote an epilogue. **

**Honestly, I haven't considered writing a sequel to Legacy because I have no ideas whatsoever. Who knows, maybe I will in the future.**

**Reminder, no beta. My mistakes. **

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Chapter 21

My eyes opened to the bright lights streaming in from the slightly opened windows. Beside me, Edward stirred, his eyes opening slowly. When he noticed my eyes were also opened, he pulled his arm from around me and sat up. He moved away from me, clearly avoiding my eye.

Around us, the others were stirring.

"That was awesome," Alice said slowly from the couch in front of me.

I sat up and looked around me: We were arranged exactly like we were before I fell asleep. Alice was still seated beside Rosalie, her mouth slightly open.

"What?" I asked her, concerned.

"We _just_ fell asleep. Like not five seconds ago," she answered. Her face was full of confusion and awe. "I couldn't see what was going to happen."

"It felt like it was hours." I closed my eyes and rested my head back against the couch. In my mind, I saw Edward's face right before we left my dream. He was detached. He didn't look me in my eye. Something was wrong. But I didn't want to mention it to him so I could make it worse. I didn't understand why he was so angry with me, when I was following the plan. He knew the kisses James and I shared were just for show, to make him believe I was truly on his side. It worried me to think Edward would actually believe I would actually _want_ to kiss or touch anyone that wasn't him.

"What did you do with James?" I asked him, my eyes closed.

I was unfortunately unsurprised to hear Emmett answer for him.

"We erased his memory."  
"What?" I snapped my eyes open.

"Not all of it," Jasper said. "Let's say you go to New York, meet him on the street, he won't remember who you are. It's like you never existed to him."

"Oh," I said, relieved.

But this worked, I guess. James Carter wouldn't know about our powers, where I was, who I am. And that was a good thing. He wouldn't come after me ever again.

"Thank you," I started, the weight of their protection pressing down on me. "You guys don't know how much it means to me that you helped me."

"Bella," Rosalie said, "You're family. We don't let family down." She smiled at me and I smiled back, appreciating her words. Coming from Rosalie, it meant a lot, especially considering how cold she was to me when we first met.

"Yeah," Jasper said from across the table. "We wouldn't have let you do this on your own. But now, it's time for a _really_ long nap." He stood up and gestured to the others to join him. "You coming, Edward?"

I looked at him, hoping he'd stay.

"Yeah, yeah." He stood without a second glance my way. I held myself back, feeling my throat tighten.

I stood with them and walked them to the door, Alice at my side. I assumed she sensed something was wrong when she grabbed my hand as we walked. At the door, we parted with kisses on cheeks and the promise of seeing each other the next day.

I was disappointed, but not surprised, when Edward kissed my forehead with an air of indifference. Once they were gone, I closed the door softly.

* * *

As I lay in bed that night, my mind went over the last few hours, wondering where I went wrong. I did everything as planned; everything was on key. But why was Edward so mad at me, if mad was what he was?

I stayed up, thinking. I thought about what the next day would bring me. I thought about how Edward would be towards me. I thought about the way he avoided looking at me when he left, they way he snatched his arm away from me when we woke up.

I wanted to reach out to him mentally, but I was afraid. I was afraid that he would avoid my thoughts as he avoided my eyes. I wouldn't be able to take the rejection.

I fell asleep full of haunting thoughts. When I woke up in the morning, I turned over on my back and stared up at the ceiling, not looking forward to getting out of bed.

After a few minutes, my alarm clock went off, signaling the time to get up. Today was Tuesday. Since we all skipped yesterday's classes because of the circumstances, we would have to go today no matter what. School would be a small distraction from the earlier events.

But school will also be full of Edward and his indifference.

I got up and shut the annoying alarm off. Once the loud buzzing was muted, I headed over to the bathroom to get ready. I put on my uniform with my usual pair of tights and a pair of red ballerina flats, grabbed my red trench coat, and headed out the door.

Emmett was waiting for me, his bag slung over his shoulder.

"Morning, B," he said. He swiftly kissed my cheek and gave me a sad smile.

He led the way out the door and to his car and I greeted Rosalie who was sitting in the passenger seat. We drove off in silence and once we arrived at the front of the school, I thanked him for the ride and headed inside the building alone.

As I walked inside the door, I thought about the inevitable confrontation at our lockers and decided to avoid it. Instead of walking straight towards the hallway where our lockers were located, I veered off to the left and found myself in an empty classroom. I placed my things on a nearby desk and walked towards the windows in the rear of the classroom.

Outside, more people were arriving, walking through the lightly falling snow. There were girls travelling in packs through the trees in their bright-colored coats and boys on skateboards. Everyone was just fine while my world was slowly falling apart.

The first period bell rang and I jumped out of my stupor and walked out the door grabbing my bag and my jacket from the desk. I quickly walked towards my locker, making sure none of the guys were standing around waiting. When the coast was clear, I opened my locker, sticking my jacket in and taking the books I needed for my first class.

"Hey," I heard from behind me. Startled, I whipped around and found myself face to face with Alice.

"Hi," I answered, catching my breath. I turned back to my locker and shut it, picking up my bag from where I dropped it. I walked down the hallway, Alice right beside me.

"Are you avoiding all of us or just Edward?" she asked, beside me.

"I don't know, Al," I sighed. "I don't know."

Together, we entered our class and walked to the back where our seats were. I kept my eyes low and didn't notice until I sat down that I took my usual seat next to Edward.

I was too afraid to glance up at his face. I held my head up with my hand, turning away from him. It felt awkward; he was sitting so close to me and we weren't touching, yet I could still feel the sudden waves of electricity I felt when he was near.

I sat back in my seat and sighed heavily. I was confused as to whether I should say something to him or wait and let him say something to me. It was hard; we've never really had any sort of argument before. This was a first for us. I didn't even know if this was a true argument.

If I felt those electric feelings, I knew he did too.

I finally took my chances and glanced up at his face. He was staring straight ahead. I guess he felt my eyes on him and he turned his face towards mine. His golden eyes softened as he noticed the distress in my face and he reached his hand out across the desk we shared.

I held his fingers lightly in mine, turning away, not convinced of his affections.

We spent the rest of the class like that, his hand in mine, but without any relief. When the bell rang for our next class, Edward released my hand and stood, gathering his books and mine. I walked quietly beside him to our next class and sat down in my seat in a daze.

He wasn't ignoring me anymore, yet hadn't spoken two words to me. I didn't know what to think anymore so I just went along for the rest of the day. When fifth period came along, I put away my things in my locker with the boys and Alice and Rosalie took their usual trip to the restroom before class. We all walked inside our room and as usual, waited for the girls to come back.

When they arrived, we were all sitting around the table, not speaking. Alice was on her phone, Jasper had his head down on the table, Rosalie was slowly shifting through the pages of the Book of Spells, and Edward and I were just sitting there, our faces turned away from each other. Emmett sat down in his usual seat and waited for one of us to say something.

"This is a little pathetic, people," he said, finally. "I don't even know why you guys aren't talking." He looked and me and Edward. "You can't even tell me you are because I've watched both of you all day."

"Yeah," Jasper added, "you two need to fix this quick or you're not leaving."

"Excuse me?" I asked, incredulous.

"I agree," said Alice, her head still on her phone. "You guys are totally bringing me down today."

"We're leaving. You and you" Emmett said pointing to us, "are staying in this room until all the love comes back. Understand?" He didn't wait for an answer and stood, motioning for the others to follow him. Once they shut the door, I heard a soft "click" as one of them locked it.

"Hey!" I said, standing. "You can't lock us in here." I walked to the door, jiggled the doorknob and pounded my fist on the wood, aware that the door didn't even have a lock. There was no answer on the other side. I gave up on the door and walked around to the seat opposite Edward. I didn't even think to use my powers to open the door, but I doubt it would work to unlock a door, I wasn't Rosalie. I sat down and crossed my arms over my chest. Edward's face hadn't changed through the whole ordeal and he sat still, looking like the perfect Adonis as usual.

"Now what?" I asked Edward. He let out a long sigh, as if he was holding his breath.

"I don't know," he finally said, after a few minutes. His voice sounded raspy, as if he hadn't spoken to anyone.

"I'm sorry," I told him, "but I don't even know what I did wrong to fix this, but I'm sorry. You have to tell me how to fix this, Edward!" I didn't mean the last part to come out so loud, but I couldn't take it back, my voice heavy with the tears that slowly started down my face. I stared into his surprised face and waited for him to answer.

When he didn't, I felt my face heat up with frustration and my eyes started to slowly blur with more tears. "Edward!"

"Bella, I don't know!" he answered, his face reddening with anger. "I don't know what to tell you because I keep imagining you with him. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel when I see my girlfriend, the one I love, the one I'm supposed to spend the rest of my _life_ with, my _soul mate_ kissing somebody else."

"I did whatever I had to do, Edward. You know that! Did you really think I _wanted_ to kiss him? Did you seriously think I _wanted_ him to even touch me?" I said, my anger building.

"Well, you sure had a strange way of showing it." He stood, sticking his hands inside his pockets and pacing in front of the table.

"What was I supposed to do?" I asked.

"I don't know." He sat back down on his seat opposite me, seeming exhausted by our argument.

"I love you, Edward, can't you see?" I said, holding my pain inside.

"I love you, too. I always will," he answered softly as my tears continued to flow.

"So then why won't you look at me?" I couldn't hold back my sob any longer.

He looked up from his hands and his stone face came apart, leaving behind an expression I knew well. "Don't cry," he whispered. "Come here."

I got up and walked around to stand in front of him. He pulled my body towards him and sat me on his lap. With his thumb, he wiped away my falling tears.

"I'm sorry," I told him. I grabbed his hand from my face and held it in both of mine.

"I'm sorry, too. I was stupid. I know you didn't do anything wrong. I was just so jealous. I couldn't handle it." Edward covered my hand with his free one and raised them to his lips and kissed my fingers.

"Are we okay now?" I asked him.

Releasing me, he cradled my face in his hands and pulling me into him, he kissed me with even more enthusiasm than our first kiss.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked, smiling, bringing his forehead to mine.

"I don't know, maybe another will satisfy me," I joked.

He laughed and kissed me again while I strung my fingers through his hair.

"Okay, kids, that's enough." We separated our lips as Emmett opened the door and the rest of our friends laughed behind him.

"So I guess love is in the air again," Rosalie said, coming up behind them.

"It is," Emmett answered her, kissing her lightly on her lips.

She smiled widely while Edward and I got up and led the group out of the room. We grabbed our things from our lockers, and got ready to leave. Putting my coat on was made difficult, seeing as Edward refused to let go of my hand, but I wasn't complaining.

As we reached Edward's car, he held the passenger door open for me and walked around to the driver's side. Once inside, he picked up my hand and kissed my palm.

"Forever," he said, his eyes bright.

"Forever and ever," I agreed, smiling.

* * *

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks to: ellaryne, niamr, cbmorefie, Midnight Angels Say Goodnight, royalblueheiress, TwiSam1989, csp4, Mnlozano93, MissMartha, lizakimiko, sujari6, and willowfaust for reviewing!**

**I hope you've all enjoyed my story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. It means so much to me to have others like my writing and I seriously appreciate every review, every favorite, every follow. I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if it wasn't for you guys! **

**See you as soon as I can for the epilogue!**


End file.
